A Death in San Pietro

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A Death in San Pietro Page 25

by Tim Brady

Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), 83

  Buck, Jules, 162, 206, 207

  gunfire and mortars experienced by, 208–210

  jack-of-all-trades skills of, 164

  Burgess, William, 175

  wounding of, 181

  Burrage, Richard, 47, 89, 182

  Camp Bowie, 18

  Camp Edwards, 18

  36th Division at, 49

  Capa, Robert, 98–99, 112, 161–162

  big news break of, 99

  Capri travels of, 116

  with Company B, 101–102

  filmmaking procedures and, 121

  Huston and, 163

  Naples documented by, 115–116

  photographs captured by, 99–100

  war action sought by, 100–101

  Cape Cod, Texas Division influence on, 21–22

  Capra, Frank, 22, 119

  failure of, 122–123

  Huston consulting, 225

  Marshall and, 121–122

  successes of, 122, 126–127

  training film made by, 125–126

  Capri

  Capa’s trip to, 116

  description of, 114

  trip to, 114

  Chennault, Jack, 133

  Chesterfield cigarettes, 10, 129

  Chicago Sun (newspaper), 162

  Chicago trip, by Pyle, 12

  Chiunzi Pass, 91, 93

  rocky trek on, 103

  stone house at, 94, 96

  Christmas

  caroling, 213, 214

  at Company B and Company I’s home front, 2

  dinner for, 213

  mail from home received on, 214

  Walker on, 212–213

  Churchill, Winston, 62, 122

  Roosevelt’s meeting with, 61

  Civil Service Commission, 13

  Clark, Mark, 17, 25, 60, 67, 74–75, 90, 135, 212, p7, p8

  admiration for, 68

  Ambler on, 206

  casualty report by, 102–103

  nervousness of, 79

  photographic coverage of, 206

  as Salerno invasion commander, 69

  San Pietro advancement pressure on, 188

  tanks of, 195

  Walker and, 68–69, 86, 145–146, 153

  Cleghorn, Rufus, 175

  wounding of, 187

  Clift, Glenn, 71

  Clover, Jack, 179, 213

  on body retrieval, 214

  Cocoanut Grove fire, 22

  Cole, Walter Roy, 113

  Combat photography. See Photographic coverage

  Combat scenes re-created

  Huston filming, 225–226

  at Mt. Sammurco, 226

  with Walker, 226

  Westbrook helping with, 225–226

  See also Photographic coverage

  Combined Chiefs, 63

  Commando Hill, 102

  Company A

  casualties of, 187

  Cleghorn leading, 175–176

  Mt. Sammurco climbed by, 175–176

  Company B, 89

  Capa’s time with, 101–102

  castle fight and, 104

  casualties of, 187, 192

  Christmas on home front of, 2

  Company I interaction with, 1–2, 189

  formation of, 47

  German command post knocked out by, 190–191

  as leaderless, 192

  locals interaction with, 106–107

  members of, 47

  Mt. Sammurco climbed by, 175–176

  nighttime rifle patrols of, 157

  Palmer joining, 147

  Salerno beach landing of, 2, 77–78

  supply-transport assistance given by, 175

  tank assault lead by, 189

  Thanksgiving and, 158–159

  325th Glider Infantry Regiment helped by, 97

  Waskow, Henry’s, tribute to, 97–98

  Company C

  casualties of, 187

  Mt. Sammurco climbed by, 175–176

  Company D

  Mt. Sammurco climbed by, 175–176

  Waskow, Henry’s, tribute to, 97–98

  Company I

  battle of, 83–84

  Christmas on home front of, 2

  Company B interaction with, 1–2, 189

  injuries and, 85

  organization of, 45

  as reinforcements, 198

  retreat by, 84–85

  Salerno beach landing of, 2, 78–79

  from Texas, 45

  Company K, 198

  Company L

  casualties of, 196–197

  communication lost by, 197

  San Pietro assault and, 196–197

  Council on Books for Wartime, 129

  Curry, Jabe, 179

  Dahlberg, Lawrence, 250

  Daily Student (Indiana University newspaper), 12

  Pyle as editor-in-chief, 13

  Darby, William, 69, 90

  debriefing by, 91

  heroic action of, 94

  operation overseen by, 93–94

  Davis, Bette, 2

  Dawley, Ernest, 17, 69, 74–75, 135

  as Corps Commander, 145

  D-Day

  artillery and mortar fire during, 90

  for Pyle, 51

  See also Salerno invasion

  “The Death of Captain Waskow,” 219

  other soldier’s memories resounding with, 232

  popularity of, 231

  reader’s response to, 232–233

  soldier’s response to, 234

  United Press on, 233–234

  war bonds sold due to, 233–234

  “Death Valley,” San Pietro as, 205–206

  Dennis, Charles, heroic action of, 198

  Der Spiegel (Capa), 99

  Distinguished Service medals, 213

  Dos Passos, John, 100

  Durbin, Floyd, 192

  Durbin, Flynn, 47

  Earhart, Amelia, 14

  Eisenhower, Dwight, 54, 64, 102, 135, 148, p7, p8

  artillery fire requested by, 212

  on Pyle, 248

  San Pietro tour given to, 212

  Empire Theater, 23

  ETOUSA. See European Theater of Operations U.S. Army

  Europe, cross-channel invasion of, 61

  European Theater of Operations U.S. Army (ETOUSA), 134

  Fifth Army, commander choice questioned for, 67–68

  Fifth Army, U.S., 2

  Fifth Army Headquarters, 87

  Films

  documentary form, 164–165

  footage for, 165

  real combat footage for, 223

  soldier training, 123, 125–126

  of war coverage, 119–120

  War Department on, 128, 164

  See also Photographic coverage

  First Baptist Church, 2

  First Special Service Force, 154

  1st Armored Division, 17

  1st Battalion

  deadly day for, 107–108

  first casualty of, 92

  marching orders for, 90

  Mt. Sammurco climb by, 175

  1st Italian Motorized Group

  casualties suffered by, 177–178

  Mt. Lungo climb attempted by, 177

  recon not done by, 177

  504th Parachute Battalion, 187

  Fletcher, Lee, 154

  on body retrieval, 213–214

  Ford, Henry, 12

  Fort Benning, 19

  Fort Dix, 247

  Fort Hood, 45

  France, cross-channel invasion of, 63–64

  Francis, Kay, 29

  Frazior, David, 181, 182, 189, 192–193

  Frederick, Robert, 168

  Freeland, Herbert, 223

  Freeman, Douglas Southall, 24

  Gavin, James, 105

  Gellhorn, Martha, 100

  German propaganda, 127

  German Winter Line, 138, 148, 164

  Germans

  anti-tank weapons used by, 196
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  army of, waiting at Salerno, 65

  artillery fire of, 156

  Company B knocking out command post of, 190–191

  counterattack by, 187

  defense for Italy, 139–140

  Liri Valley controlled by, 188

  pillboxes used by, 178–179

  POW revealing gun emplacements of, 197

  Rome invasion resistance by, 136, 139–140, 142–143

  San Pietro held by, 187–188

  San Pietro stripped by, 141

  San Vittore occupied by, 211

  Slaughter killing, 97

  two-front war fighting by, 61

  unit identification confusion by, 96

  war resources and, 62

  winter lines constructed by, 138

  withdrawal of, 198

  Gibson, Jack, 47

  Gillette, Melvin, 163

  Goad, Ray, 45, 109, 111

  wounding of, 92, 187

  Goad, Roy, 45, 91, 108, 181

  Golden, Herbert, 147

  Goldwyn, Samuel, 132

  Gonzales, Manual, 70

  Gordon, Jack

  death of, 156

  letter home sent by, 157

  Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck), 115

  Graves Registration team, 213

  Great Depression, 45

  Great Lakes Naval Training Station, 12

  Greely, Orlando, 92

  Greenstreet, Sidney, 132

  Guadalcanal Diary (Tregaskis), 98, 150

  Gulf of Naples, 112

  Gustav Line (German Winter Line), 138, 227, 235

  Rapido River and, 237

  Hanks, Tom, 252

  Hemingway, Ernest, 36, 100

  Here Is Your War (Pyle), 40, 56, 129, 233

  Hersey, John, 99

  Hewitt, Kent, 69, 74–75

  High Sierra (film), 133

  Highway 6, 138

  Hill 1205, goal of, 3

  Hitler, Adolph, 34, 137

  “Hoosier Vagabond,” 15

  Hope, Bob, 120

  Horton, Lewis, 181

  death of, 187

  Hospital

  incidents reported to Eisenhower, 54

  Patton’s incidents at, 53–54

  Pyle’s stay at, 52–53

  Hotel Savoy, 33

  Huston, John, 119, 128, 206

  “after the fact” footage shot by, 224

  biography of, 132

  Capa and, 163

  Capra consulted by, 225

  criticism received by, 245

  documentary film by, 223

  film editing by, 227

  films by, 131–132

  gunfire and mortars experienced by, 208–210

  on Naples, 162

  re-created combat scenes filmed by, 225–226

  risk-taking by, 209

  screenwriting career of, 133

  soldier warnings ignored by, 207

  status of, 164

  tenacity of, 133

  Ie Shima, 249–250

  Indiana University, 12

  Indianapolis 500, 12

  Ingram, Hubert, 113, 156

  Irwin, Wallace, 219

  It Happened One Night (movie), 121

  Italy

  defensive line running across, 137

  destruction of, 150

  German defense on, 139–140

  mainland assault for, 63–64

  surrender of, 64–65, 77

  terrain of, 138–139, 142, 149

  Jenkins, Lou, 77, 89

  Journal (newspaper), 113

  Kasserine Pass, 31

  Kelly, Charles, 83

  Kesselring, Albert, 137

  Keyes, Geoffrey, 153, 169, 212, 240

  reinforcements ordered by, 187

  second Rapido River crossing suggested by, 241

  “The Khaki Parade,” 23

  KKK. See Ku Klux Klan

  Klinger, Warren, 107, 250

  Waskow, Henry, eulogy by, 251

  Knickerbocker, H.R., 162

  K-ration, 10, 184

  Kratka (Captain), prisoners of war aided by, 110–111

  Ku Klux Klan (KKK), Pyle threatened by, 13

  Land, James, 108

  Landis, Carole, 29

  Lang, Will, 101, 112, 117

  Langford, Frances, 120

  LaPorte Herald (Indiana), 13

  Lardner, John, 162

  Lee’s Lieutenants (Freeman), 24

  Leibling, A.J., 100

  Life (magazine), 112, 248

  photos shared by, 116

  Lindbergh, Charles, 14

  Liri Valley, 3, 137, 138, 169, 227, p4

  German control of, 188

  tragedy in, 237–242

  Logan, James, 70

  London, Pyle’s travel to, 32–33

  “The Lost Generation,” 100

  Lucas, John, p7

  Maiori, p2

  battle at, 98

  command base at, 93

  The Maltese Falcon (film), 131–132

  Marshall, George, 20, 62, 63, 172

  Capra and, 121–122

  need to inform of, 124

  on San Pietro (film), 243–244

  as strategist, 123

  training film concerns of, 123, 125

  troop education and, 124–125

  on young recruits, 123–124

  Martin, William, 82, 170, 175–176, 179, 240

  Mauldin, Bill, 150

  Mayfair, Mitzi, 10, 29

  McCloskey General Hospital, 250

  McCreery, Richard, 69

  McDonald, A.J., 250

  Mediterranean theater

  Allied assault in, 61–62

  goal of, 61

  island-hopping campaign for, 62

  Pyle influenced by, 10

  transport barge and sub-chaser encounter in, 8–10

  Mencken, H.L., 132

  Meredith, Burgess, 246, 247

  Meuse-Argonne, 43

  Mexia, Texas

  Army correspondence to get to, 230

  Christmas preparations in, 2

  war news in, 50

  Mexia Weekly Herald (newspaper), 113

  Miller, Arthur, 130, 246

  Miller, Lee, 33, 52

  Pyle and, 11, 13, 30, 234

  Miller, Mallory, 113

  “The Million Dollar Mountain,” 168

  Mills, John, 120

  Miranda, Carmen, 23

  Mitchum, Robert, 246, 247

  Mobley, William, 81

  Mojave Desert, 120

  MOMA. See Museum of Modern Art

  Monte Soprano, capture of, 79

  Montgomery, Bernard, 69

  Morgan, Charles, 113

  Morocco, Walker’s stay in, 25

  Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (movie), 121

  Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (movie), 121

  Mt. Cannavinelle, 154, 169

  carnage on, 155

  mud hindering climb of, 178

  supply point on, 155–156

  white tape marking trail for, 178

  Mt. Cassino, 211

  Mt. Lungo

  attack on, 169

  success at, 197

  Mt. Sammurco, 138, p4

  as Bernhardt Line linchpin, 169

  boulders used as weapons on, 176

  climbing feat of, 175

  combat scenes re-created at, 226

  mule trails and, 176, 184

  Pyle’s climb of, 185

  rock cover of, 178

  size of, 171

  terrain of, 1

  troop collection area at, p6

  Waskow, Henry, on, 191

  wounded descending, 183

  Mt. Sammurco battle

  ammunition and supplies dwindling during, 183

  casualties suffered during, 182

  communication during, 182

  Company A, B, C, and D climbing, 175–176

  counterattack for, 181

  efforts thrown at, 178–179

  element of surprise hoped for, 176<
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  firepower used in, 181

  1st Battalion climb of, 175

  German defense at, 4

  Germans defending, 175–186

  Germans ordered to fight with all costs, 181

  limited headway for, 179

  at peak of, 4, 177

  sniper peek-a-boo style shootout, 181

  supplies for, 183–184

  Murrow, Edward R., 16

  Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), 125

  Naples, p3

  Capa documenting, 115–116

  destruction of, 115

  Huston on, 162

  rain hindering advancement north of, p3

  triumphal entry into, 105–106

  Naples campaign

  casualties of, 136

  success of, 135

  National Board of Review, 247

  National Film Preservation Board, 246, 247

  National Film Preservation Foundation, 246

  National Film Registry, 246

  National Guard, 2

  National Press Club, 247

  Naval Reserve, U.S., 12

  New Years Eve, San Pietro storm and, 215

  New York Herald Tribune (newspaper), 115, 162, 203

  Newell, Jalvin, code created by, 182

  Newsweek (newspaper), 162

  North Africa

  countryside of, 29

  Texas Division journey to, 23–24

  November operation, strategy for, 154

  Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck), 115

  Ohio National Guard, 19

  Ohio State University, 19

  141st Regiment of the 36th Infantry Division, 43, 44

  143rd Regiment of the 36th Infantry Division (Texas Division), 2

  casualties of, 146

  replacement troops for, 146

  Salerno Bay landing of, p1

  Operation Raincoat

  casualties of, 168

  communication gaps in, 171

  counterattacks during, 168

  firepower used in, 168, 170

  strategic meeting for, 167

  strategic moves during, 170

  Operation Torch, 8

  goal of, 61

  Walker’s meetings for, 24–25

  war correspondents in, 27

  Otto, Henry T., 45

  ambitions and talents of, 46–47

  honors and rewards of, 46

  military service of, 47

  Otto, John, 45

  Pacific war, Pyle reporting on, 248, 249–250

  Paestum, 73

  aerial view of, p2

  historic conquering of, 67

  Palace of Caserta, 139

  Palmer, Bennett, 193

  Company B joined by, 147

  description of, 146

  on hillside conditions, 157

  as replacement, 147

  training of, 146

  Parade march, by Texas Division, 17–18

  Parker, John, 191, 192

  Patton, George, 36

  hospital incidents by, 53–54

  Pyle and, 54

  troop speech by, 21

  Walker meeting with, 18–19

  Pearl Harbor, 121

  Pederson, Ray, 108

  Pershing, John “Black Jack,” 19

  Peterman, Joseph, 91, 108

  Photographic coverage

  “after the fact” footage and, 224

  Army Signal Corps on, 128

  of Clark, 206

  dangers of, 208

 

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