WWII COMBAT BULLETIN #2 FIRST ARMORED DIVISION IN ITALY BATTLE OF CAPE GLOUCESTER 26944

This film will take a look at two WW2 campaigns that took place between 1943 and 1945. The first is in Italy and includes the crossing of the Volturno River during heavy rainstorms and the second is the Cape Gloucester Campaign. It also takes a brief look at a training conducted in Hawaii prior to the Cape Gloucester campaign. It opens with a memo informing viewers the scene is Dragoni, Italy and footage will be shown of the tanks of the First Armored Division aiding the 5th Army’s advance (:26). The advance had been slowed here due to heavy mortar and machine gun fire (:52). An observation post was set up (:55) and M4 tanks had arrived in support of the infantrymen (:58). Tank crews are seen loading into the tank (1:04) and the infantrymen being moving through a covered route (1:42). Tanks disperse, taking cover and fighting breaks out (2:39). The tank gunners cleared away obstacles for infantrymen (3:10) and the mortar squad moves up to provide aide (3:24). Another memo appears and it tells of the allied troops being slowed by heavy rainfall which caused the Volturno River to swell (3:46). In order to cross the river, a bridge would have to be constructed and allied troops set to installing steel treading across the river (4:26). Though reinforcements are attached, the river destroys the bridge before the men can cross (5:34). One man is rescued from the water (5:51) and they set to rebuilding a new bridge (5:58). This time it is successful and army trucks ride over (6:11). The film turns to Oahu, Hawaii for troop trainings for jungle warfare (6:22). The soldiers run over a rope bridge with fake bombs and gunfire exploding towards them (6:33). Jungle warfare was considered some of the most dangerous and it was vital to know how to steadily cross these rope bridges as well as ascend rope ladders (6:43). This training was conducted for direct use the Southwest Pacific theater of the war (7:28) and it brings us to the invasion of Cape Gloucester (7:35). The cape is located on the island of New Britain (7:39). B-24’s flew in first for softening up attacks (7:56) and the Navy moved in to hit along the beach (8:19). Convoys of troops and equipment begin moving in (8:34) and the men are then seen crammed into Higgins boats (9:02) as well as landing onto the beach (9:13). Infantrymen are provided with air support (9:29). Heavy equipment and reinforcements were now able to unload and move onto the beach (9:54). After pushing past the beach, vehicles, men and supplies move up through the swamps (10:19). The Signal Corps troops search for snipers and lay wire (10:37). Communication between units is vital and lines of communication are quickly established (10:45). From here they can advance on the Japanese positions (11:04) with mortar fire backing them (11:22). Soldiers utilize the tank for coverage and move close behind (11:36). Once they begin to fan out, the combat begins (11:55) and destroyed Japanese planes follow (12:13). As combat ends, the wounded are quickly attended to (12:20). Gloucester had been successfully captured and the film snaps to conclusion after the bombers fly back to their bases (12:42).

The Battle of Cape Gloucester was fought in the Pacific theater of World War II between Japanese and Allied forces on the island of New Britain, Territory of New Guinea, between 26 December 1943 and 16 January 1944. Codenamed Operation Backhander, the US landing formed part of the wider Operation Cartwheel, the main Allied strategy in the South West Pacific Area and Pacific Ocean Areas during 1943–1944. It was the second landing the US 1st Marine Division had conducted during the war thus far, after Guadalcanal. The objective of the operation was to capture the two Japanese airfields near Cape Gloucester that were defended by elements of the Japanese 17th Division.

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