21 Oct 2021 Garand Picture of the Day

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...21497268-1.jpg

In the shadow of Monte Cassino on January 21–22, 1944, the U.S. Army’s 36th “Texas” Division tried to cross Italy’s Rapido River. The rout of this former National Guard unit from Texas was one of the worst defeats Americans suffered on the battlefields of World War II, one that prompted veterans to present charges of incompetent leadership before Congress.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...inbook34-1.jpg

American soldiers in the Rapido valley on February 6, 1944, eye the abbey atop Monte Cassino, with snow-capped Monte Cairo in the background.

Lots of guys died drowning in the very fast stream of the river. The name Rapido means fast, so that was to be expected...

Top pic, what are they carrying? It ain't gonna' to be lunches...

And to the end of his life, Mark Clark was not welcome in Texas.

Bob

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Top pic, what are they carrying? It ain't gonna' to be lunches...

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Jim-- They look like M1/M5 smoke pots probably to cover the river crossing.

--Frank

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Originally Posted by fjruple

smoke pots

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Right, forgot about those. Ours were MUCH bigger. That would be it.

Apparently the Battle of Rapido River actually took place crossing the Gari River and not the Rapido.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rapido_River

The Rapido is famously depicted in the painting by Terence Cuneo which shows the night of 12/13 May 1944, when Sappers from 7, 59 and 225 Fld Companies, Royal Engineers, built an 80 foot Bailey Bridge whilst under constant enemy fire in under 12 hours.
The bridge was built as part of the Allies break-out of the Gustav Line. Work started at 5.45pm (12 May) and completed at 5.30am (13 May). The human cost was high; 15 sappers were killed and 57 (including 3 officers) wounded. The bridge was named 'Amazon Bridge'.

Attachment 120739

UBIQUE

This article seems to cover the General Clark Texas controversy a little better than than the one paragraph of his wikipedia page.
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/wor...k-w-clark.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fjruple

Jim-- They look like M1/M5 smoke pots probably to cover the river crossing.

--Frank

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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...515432.tif.jpg

I do actually have the book on US ordnance too, should have dug it out.