I just finished "The Day of the Battle" by Rick Atkinson about the war in Sicily and Italy from 1943 to 1944. I would hope he writes another book from 1944 to 1945. the book seems indicate that the war was over when Rome was retaken and that obviously wasn't the case.

I'm disappointed in the life style of the brass at several times in the book but I guess that is one of the benefits of having full birds and stars on your shoulder.

I have to wonder why the SS John Harvey was in the harbor loaded with mustard gas when the Germans sank it in an air raid. unless the Allies intended to use it why was it there? there was a lot of people hurt when it blew up.

as a far as leadership in these campaigns this was another instance of the brass going their own ways and the frontline soldiers catching the hell. none of the Allies never really cared for each other.

my uncle was wounded at Anzio and got a bronze star and purple heart there. he was part of a remount unit which as far as I can tell as kept the mules trains going.

after reading the 3 books by Atkinson I think I'm "read out" for a while. I felt that way when I started and finally finished "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich".

SS John Harvey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sounds like a good read.

I'd never heard of the mustard gas incident at Bari. Incredible.

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

Army at Dawn; The Day of the Battle; Guns at Last Light.
I hope Atkins tackles the IBC theater next.

The Italian campaign was off in any number of ways, some of which can't be discussed here.

Mark Clark is one of my least favorite WWII generals.

I have read the three volumes on the ETO and found them excellent. It took me about 4 years to find them all and read them though. Pop got to see a large part of the ETO, from No. Africa to Italy, Corsica, France and Belgium in the course of 33 months.

LTC

I read the trilogy a couple years back, and liked it. I'll have to start again as there is so much information.
I did wonder at times how we won in spite of ally relations. The citizen soldier, Eisenhower, massive American production, and 20 million dead Russians pulled it off.

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"from my cold dead hands" C.H.