August 1943

Sicily

The Luftwaffe attacks Palermo damaging a destroyer and a minesweeper and an LST. A British freighter takes a direct hit and sinks, but the greatest damage occurs when an ammunition train is hit and blows, badly needed ammunition by Gen Bradley's II Corps.

The 1st Canadian Brigade joins the Malta Brigade and assaults the hilltop fortress at 2:00am. The Canadians are unsuccessful southwest of the town, and the 48th Highlander Battalion advances on Regalbuto from the northwest and are also pinned down. Canadian and British artillery pound the town all day as well as receiving some available air support. The Canadians prepare an all-out infantry assault for the next day.

The 51st Division takes Hill 224 in hand-to-hand fighting. They can not advance any further until artillery can come up. Col Schmalz counterattacks with panzers and the Germans re-take Hill 224 and reach the Angelico Farm, about a mile to the south, where they come under fierce fire from the Scottish Horse Artillery and 6 field regiments. The counterattack is quickly repulsed and all 12 panzers are knocked out. The 51st resume their advance toward their two objectives, the Simeto River and the town of Biancavilla, 2 miles east of Adrano.

In US 7th Army's II Corps area, the 3rd Division completes the relief of the 45th Division--which is transferred to the Provisional Corps--on the north coast in the San Stefano area. They continue the eastward drive along coastal highway, gaining several miles. 12 transports are unloaded at Palermo some of which carried troops from the 9th Infantry Division. At the same time men of the US 727th Railway Operating Battalion had the Sicilian railroad operating at partial capacity in the south and central parts of the island.

After being held up the previous day, Gen Allen decides to conduct a coordinated assault, using 4 infantry regiments, supported by no fewer that 24 artillery battalions. The attack is to go forward at 5:00am. The 39th Infantry is to spearhead the attack from the west, while the 18th Infantry attacks from the south and the 26th Infantry seizes the high ground north and northeast of the town. The 16th Infantry Regiment is held in reserve. The 39th Infantry is only 4 miles west of Troina when it enters the defensive zone of Lt-Col Fullriede's 129th Panzer Grenadier Regiment where the advance is brought to a quick halt north of Highway 120. To the south, the Americans push to within 2 miles of the town when they are held up by Group Ens. Success is achieved initially because of how beat up the 104th Panzer Grenadier Regiment is. A counterattack by the Germans late in the day recaptures Hill 1034 from the Americans and pushes them back a mile.