SICILY

[OLDNAVYMCPO]

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Allied Invasion of Sicily during WWII. This combined amphibious and airborne assault, code named Operation Husky, played a significant role in the progress of the war.

The successful campaign drove Axis powers from the island, opening sea lanes in the Med, Mussolini was overthrown , it opened the way for the invasion of Italy and forced Adolf Hitler's Germany to reassign troops from all over Europe.

Sicily set the stage for the well publicized competition between Lt Gen Patton and Gen Sir Bernard Montgomery.

This was the first combat jump by elements of the 82nd Airborne Division under Col "Jumpin Jim" Gavin.

The Brits deployed gliders of which only 12 of 147 landed on target, 69 crashed into the sea.

This invasion was the precursor to Normandy, significant in the many lessons learned.

My Uncle John Albert was a young paratrooper who made his first combat jump in Sicily.

 

[chief38]

Thanks for posting - I am somewhat of a WWll Buff.

 

[usmc2427765]

My dad was serving aboard the USS Philadelphia, a light cruiser, during that invasion. He never talked about it, but one night in the 50's we were watching Victory At Sea and he pointed out his ship. I do remember him telling me that his duty station was in the bowels of the ship and he could hear the Uboat torpedoes as they missed the ship.

 

[Texas Star]

I watched, Patton again recently and let my Nigerian maid watch. She had no idea of this, or most history.

Unfortunately, neither do most US teens.

 

[Ogandydancer]

I watched, Patton again recently and let my Nigerian maid watch. She had no idea of this, or most history.

Unfortunately, neither do most US teens.

Yes; they don't seem to teach anything about history anymore in our schools especially about this and/or American history. It is a shame most of the younger generation do not know even what WW II was about much less any of the facts about it.