Story 2263
Modena, Italy October 7, 1943
The upper Po valley was held by the Germans. Two corps had been able to consolidate. Another corps had seized the passes between France and Italy. The southern Maginot line fortifications would have been a significant obstacle to light infantry if they had been manned. However the Germans had not been able to seize control from coast to coast. Genoa was the scene of constant street to street fighting. The Italian Navy dockyard was the backbone of the Italian position. nightly destroyer runs from La Spezia and Livorno brought in food and ammunition and pulled out the wounded. German artillery had claimed half a dozen warships that had been under repair, but the tight confines of the ancient city and plentiful heavy weaponry that had been stockpiled to enhance the fleet's anti-aircraft fit had stopped most German probes cold. The Austrian passes were clogged up by Alpini. Venice was impregnable, now that Allied destroyers could roam the Adriatic without concern for mines nor submarines.
None of that mattered to the few thousand American paratroopers. They were the vanguard of the dozen divisions that had landed in various parts of Mainland Italy in the past two weeks. The jump into Rome to secure the airport had gone well with only broken ankles and wrenched backs for casualties. But since then, the fight north against determined German rear guards that could readily buy half a day before surrendering or breaking contact had made the well trained but green Americans into veterans. E and F companies were demonstrating in front of the small city's southern entrance while G company tried to turn the German position to seize a bridge before it came down. If the quick attack could not work, they would wait for the artillery and tanks to arrive but each bridge north meant the war would come to an end faster.
Half a dozen machine guns started to chatter. 60mm mortars began to throw smoke shells. A few 57mm anti-tank guns began to fire in direct support, targeting a machine gun nest that was not quite as well hidden as it should have been. The paratroopers rose from the ground and began their advance. Within the first dozen steps, a German machine gun started to fire in short bursts. All was happening as the recently breveted company commander expected. The attack was gaining a little bit of purchase as American infantry men hit the deck, fired a few rounds in the general direction of the German defenders and began to advance again while their buddies covered them.
The upper Po valley was held by the Germans. Two corps had been able to consolidate. Another corps had seized the passes between France and Italy. The southern Maginot line fortifications would have been a significant obstacle to light infantry if they had been manned. However the Germans had not been able to seize control from coast to coast. Genoa was the scene of constant street to street fighting. The Italian Navy dockyard was the backbone of the Italian position. nightly destroyer runs from La Spezia and Livorno brought in food and ammunition and pulled out the wounded. German artillery had claimed half a dozen warships that had been under repair, but the tight confines of the ancient city and plentiful heavy weaponry that had been stockpiled to enhance the fleet's anti-aircraft fit had stopped most German probes cold. The Austrian passes were clogged up by Alpini. Venice was impregnable, now that Allied destroyers could roam the Adriatic without concern for mines nor submarines.
None of that mattered to the few thousand American paratroopers. They were the vanguard of the dozen divisions that had landed in various parts of Mainland Italy in the past two weeks. The jump into Rome to secure the airport had gone well with only broken ankles and wrenched backs for casualties. But since then, the fight north against determined German rear guards that could readily buy half a day before surrendering or breaking contact had made the well trained but green Americans into veterans. E and F companies were demonstrating in front of the small city's southern entrance while G company tried to turn the German position to seize a bridge before it came down. If the quick attack could not work, they would wait for the artillery and tanks to arrive but each bridge north meant the war would come to an end faster.
Half a dozen machine guns started to chatter. 60mm mortars began to throw smoke shells. A few 57mm anti-tank guns began to fire in direct support, targeting a machine gun nest that was not quite as well hidden as it should have been. The paratroopers rose from the ground and began their advance. Within the first dozen steps, a German machine gun started to fire in short bursts. All was happening as the recently breveted company commander expected. The attack was gaining a little bit of purchase as American infantry men hit the deck, fired a few rounds in the general direction of the German defenders and began to advance again while their buddies covered them.
