The 36th Division at Salerno

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The 36th Division at Salerno

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Күн бұрын

The 36th Division at Salerno
With Jeff Hunt
Part of the Operation Avalanche (Salerno) 80th Anniversary series
• Operation Avalanche (S...
The first wave troops of the 36th Infantry Division fanned out onto all four beaches exactly at H-Hour, on 9th September 1943. Enemy guns roared as the GIs leaped into the water and started inland for the pre-designated assembly areas. On the left at Red and Green beaches the 142nd Infantry, commanded by Colonel John D. Forsythe, began the push that was designed to take it to the core of the beachhead and to the ground around Albanella and Altavilla. On the right at Yellow and Blue beaches, the 141st Infantry under Colonel Richard J. Werner, moved to maintain contact with 142nd at Mount Vesole and Magliano, seize Agropoli and defend the right flank. The second and third waves hit the beaches at eight-minute intervals.
At the end of the day it was clear that the Salerno landings had been successful in spite of a prepared and alerted enemy. The 36th now occupied the important hills from Altavilla to Ogliastro. On the 10th of September, the second day ashore, the beachhead was enlarged, positions consolidated, and more tanks brought in to prepare for heavier clashes to come.
Our guest today is Jeff Hunt, Director of the Texas Military Forces Museum in Camp Mabry, Austin Texas. Since its inception, the museum has amassed an impressive collection of historical material and now houses more that 10,000 three-dimensional artefacts, 6,000 books, 20,000 historic photographs, more than three dozen historical military vehicles and artillery pieces, and over 600 linear feet of archival material.
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Пікірлер: 36

@philbosworth3789 11 ай бұрын

Jeff's recent tour of the area and how it refreshed his memory comes through so clearly in this great episode. Thank you Jeff & Woody

@terryemery7839 11 ай бұрын

An hour and fifteen minutes flew by, well spoken and prepared presenter. Highlight of my day watching ww2tv. Thanks.

@WW2TV 11 ай бұрын

Thanks Terry

@davidlavigne207 11 ай бұрын

Arrived about one hour late to watch this live, but is it oh so interesting. Woody's comment about the battle being like "A little boys battle with miniature toys" was so apt. It made me reminisce about the olive drab and grey plastic figurines and vehicles that would come in sets that I played with as a lad. I even think there may have been a "Salerno Beach Set", a "Desert Set" and a "D-Day Set" one could purchase. That was a very astute observation, except that young men were being killed and wounded, given that they were not toys.

@jeffbraaton4096 11 ай бұрын

Paul, you keep having the Master Classes and I keep running out of superlatives to write in the comments. Jeff brought an amazing depth of knowledge not only of the 36th Inf Div but of the terrain on which the battle was fought, with no dearth of personal stories to keep everyone engaged. The sidebar was rocking today. Thank you Jeff this was a Topper of a Show. Until next Paul

@WW2TV 11 ай бұрын

Yes it was a super show

@davidlavigne207 11 ай бұрын

Woody, I loved the Richard Holmes "Battlefield Series." I'll have to re-watch the "Rapido Crossing" episodes to look for you. He was a great historical author and TV commenter. Brilliant. Also, please ask Jeff to come and speak about the "Lost Battalion" in the Vosges Mountains in 1944 and the 36th Infantry in the ETO as well-Operation Dragoon and onwards until 1945. Mr. Hunt is a very knowledgeable and well spoken historian.

@akjeff64 3 ай бұрын

My father was with the 36th, CO L 141st INF, and landed here. Made it thru the landings and was ultimately wounded at the Battle of San Pietro..my dream is to go visit the landing areas to honor his legacy..He inspired me to do 21 years in the Army, and while i was in Iraq, i was able to visit the FOB where the 36th was operating from.. good video, thanks for this!

@poorvalleyhomestead 11 ай бұрын

My Grandfather, John “Howard” Dotson was in the 141st Infantry and was captured at Salerno. He spent the remainder of the war in Stalag 2-B in Poland. I have letters he wrote home to my grandmother. He never talked about his experiences very much. He passed in 2001, I think of him everyday. His grandfather, John Wesley Epperson was also a POW. Captured by union forces on April 6, 1865 in Farmville, Va. during the American Civil War.

@cryptonized2685 11 күн бұрын

THANK YOU for this. My Dad was there and I am retracing his steps.

@cahoonm 4 ай бұрын

My father was in 141st Regiment, F-Co. Edward S Cahoon. Alfred Dietrick was very busy at the museum. He passed away at 101 years. We went with Al to the battlefield where they fought in Italy. We supplied materials and labor for some of the room there in honor of my dad. Love those men.

@BOB33wspc 11 ай бұрын

My grandfather(Joe C. Botts) was there. He was in the 36th Division 141 Infantry Company K.

@poorvalleyhomestead 11 ай бұрын

My grandfather was also in the 141st, John Howard Dotson

@jjflash30 5 ай бұрын

Another great show! Really enjoyed this and learned a tremendous amount. Jeff’s knowledge of the division and its involvement in Avalanche is impressive, and his presentation very engaging and clear. 👍👍👍 Thanks to both of you.

@thomasmadden8412 11 ай бұрын

What an eloquent presentation, Jeff barely took a breath, but the flow of information and knowledge war remarkable. I am sure Jeff could come back and talk on something else, he has superior presenting skills.

@lappin6482 8 ай бұрын

my favourite episode, close to my heart this one 👏

@Pam_N 7 ай бұрын

Patricia Ann Clark Oosting, the only daughter of General Mark Wayne Clark, died on November 27, 1962 at the age of 36. Therefore it is not possible that she asked to attend the Division's last Reunion "about seven years ago" and was refused. Beginning at approximately 1:12:32: Mr. Hunt, in conveying an account of the Division's last Reunion about seven years ago states that, "Mark Clark's daughter wanted to come to their last Reunion but they would NOT LET her." [Emphasis in uppercase indicating speaker's emphasis] I hope you will correct/edit this misstatement of fact. Coincidentally, The Citadel Military College Daniel Library's most recent Exhibit (Fall 2023) featured the late Ann Clark Oosting; which of course included reference to her 1962 death. Otherwise, excellent show and photographs. Mr. Hunt's pace made it possible to really absorb and enjoy the details.

@marks_sparks1 11 ай бұрын

Another great presentation on Salerno. Great detail on the 36th ID by Jeff and it has expanded my knowledge on this amphibious operation which history hasn't really done justice to. Look forward to his next appearance about the Rapido River.

@matthewlucas2256 11 ай бұрын

As a grandson of a 36th IDer that fought in this battle and someone that not only grew up with these men going to regimental then division reunions each year until the very end, he did a great job in the history of the battle. The issue that I have it I was there until the very last reunion and I was also on the 36th Division Board and the main reason why the board was disbanded is because of Hunt. I really didn’t have a problem with him, but he did not seem to care for the veterans and their family members that volunteered at the museum. This is coming from personal experience. When it comes to Clark and his daughter the main reason was because the men felt that they got screwed during the congressional investigation and I can confirm that it was there until the very end. I don’t recall Clark’s daughter ever wanting to come to the reunion, but I was only on the board the last few years. When you suffer a little over 2k T-Patchers in two days and you throw a beloved Division Commander under the bus, I can see why they might be upset until the very end. Other than those things, Hunt did a great job. Hopefully if you have him back he gives an even better presentation about the Rapido. I do miss seeing those men every year. Keep up the great work on this channel. I always love the content. Cheers

@Pam_N 7 ай бұрын

Patricia Ann Clark Oosting, General Clark's ONLY daughter, died in 1962 so anything about her and the reunion = false/inaccurate.

@jumpmastermp21 Ай бұрын

My dad was with the 36th Engineers. He drove a DUWK.

@morganhale3434 11 ай бұрын

The color photograph at 1:00:00 is amazing. The three knocked out Pzkw IV Hs are a testament to just how intense a fight that it was. I always thought that if the Wehrmacht had just kept developing the Panzer IV's (instead of playing with shiny new tanks) they would have done a lot better in the war. The PaK 75 LL was an extremely effective gun.

@morganhale3434 11 ай бұрын

I've actually been to one of the quarries that provided the pink granite for the Texas State Capitol in the Hill Country of Texas just west of Austin on the Colorado River. It was still active in the early 1980's and it still may be now for all I know.

@jimwatts914 11 ай бұрын

Howdy folks. Great presentation on the Texas Division’s war in Italy. Growing up in Texas I’ve known many men who served in the 36th, outstanding character. Learned much about the men who whipped Hitler’s goons. They had some help of course.

@josephwurzer4366 11 ай бұрын

This is very interesting. Italy is an area not covered that much. I enjoy this.

@kevinpaulson2659 11 ай бұрын

Awesome show!

@morganhale3434 11 ай бұрын

Thank you for both of the episodes on the 45th and 36th Infantry Divisions. I think you are doing some myth-busting on the supposedly low quality of US National Guard Divisions in WWII. I do love the combination of current on the ground color photographs and wartime black and white photos. It really gives a greater appreciation of just how vulnerable anything moving on the plains would be to enemies in the hills and mountains.

@FrankenTiger88 10 ай бұрын

At 37 minutes in the guest states that soldiers were firing into the driving part of German mark fours. My question is where the German Mark fours did they armored glass protecting the driver?

@WW2TV 10 ай бұрын

They drivers's port did have some armoured glass, but it was still vulnerable to splintering and breaking to restrict the driver's view

@FrankenTiger88 10 ай бұрын

237 BC Roman take over of Paestum Italy

@FrankenTiger88 10 ай бұрын

I read somewhere that Montgomery at one point on his drive up from the toe of Italy, was taking his time, and at one point stopping to decorate soldiers, despite her headquarters, telling him to push on faster and harder. Can you shed light on this if there’s any truth to it or not thank you in advance.

@WW2TV 10 ай бұрын

There's no truth