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Operation Winter Storm (Gothic Line) (view source)
Revision as of 01:23, September 8, 2016
, 01:23, September 8, 2016→Operation Wintergewitter
Orders to retreat were radioed from US headquarters in Barga, but by that time, two thirds of the American and Communist defenders were dead or wounded. With the American and Italian wounded dragged inside, the Austrians started burning houses in Sommocolonia.
Orders to retreat were radioed from US headquarters in Barga, but by that time, two thirds of the American and Communist defenders were dead or wounded. With the American and Italian wounded dragged inside, the Austrians started burning houses in Sommocolonia.
The US field artillery at Barga provided fire support for the Somocolonia defenders, with Lieutenant Fox radioing the co-ordinates. With Austrian and Italian infantry reinforcing the attack, several men at Barga heard Fox’s last call for smokescreen to cover the escape of the surviving American soldiers and Italian Partisans. Heavy artillery fire then rained down on Fox's position. The US artillery commander hesitated at first in firing directly on his position, but Lieutenant Fox had his way and was killed soon after. Of the Somocolonia defenders, only 18 Americans made it back to the lines of the US 5th Army.