October 11, 1944 mission Mt. Cauala deep in the Appennines veils of midnight curtains of torrential rain her rivers rise to block our way the Vezza roaring like thunder brilliant, blinding lightning baffling stealing all sense of proportion torn up roads like chasms tripping dropped equipment lost in mud visibility at absolute zero feeling forward for each step the man in front of you disappears in darkness as each man to the rear gets lost this blackness of night had not been foreseen lightning flashes strobe the mountains above thunder explodes like artillery fire completely soaked soldiers stumble around some find an abandoned shack shelter near the Sera rest until daybreak
as we enter Seravezza our regimental commander cautions the entire town under enemy eyes scoping our every move enemy machine guns sweep streets heavy artillery regularly rakes buildings some of our men already wounded reconnaissance and plan of attack Company I right, L center, K left by 2310 the last man slips into Sera’s icy waters then climbs necessity’s ladders built to negotiate the steep Rocky Ridge jagged, knife-like edges rip clothing and tear flesh as men try to find footing in blackness chaos in the ranks platoons and squads scattering leaders have no way of knowing if men are turning back getting spattered by enemy machine guns or losing their footing and lives to the rocks below calling out to each other pinpoints our positions to enemy ears drawing more accurate fire by 0730 we are all atop the mountain the German counter attack begins the day fanatically, despite our heavy fire they keep coming from three directions expected flank from 1st Battalion does not arrive still, German mortar fire and grenades cannot dislodge our men despite dwindling ammunition we hold our position BAR’s, Silver Stars and concussion grenades
a dozen volunteer for ammunition supply detail as we approach the hill a machine gun rakes our position manned by two, our fire takes out one the other carries him away onward to hill’s base progress paused by tremendous barrage we crouch for a time before continuing half way up we’re met with more mortars and machine guns shrapnel flying hot burning into clothes and skin the smell of gunpowder and cordite burning into memory our ammunition mission fails forcing return to base of hill with men from rifle companies following at 1600 our own heavy artillery barrage falls short striking entrenched remnants of companies K and L this friendly fire is too much for tired men to take they withdraw at opportunity’s first chance
darkness falls soldiers roaming aimlessly battle’s horror in shocked eyes efforts made to gather wounded seventy casualties in just one day scores with battle shock and fatigue but numbers never quantify suffering, broken spirit and loss of life trained men and officers killed unhappy AWOLs and disciplinaries find themselves as front line replacements inexperienced men growling greatly morale tanks
The battle of Seravezza crushed 3rd Battalion despite several efforts we were never able to take control the Germans repelled every attack soldiers were angered by impossible tasks seemingly sent on suicide situations we knew they knew where we were we knew we were to face heavy bombardment we knew we were without sufficient firepower or manpower command knew we were out gunned in the end the Germans controlled the mountain
adapted with permission from the book: Black Warriors: The Buffalo Soldiers of WWII Memoirs of the Only ***** Infantry Division to Fight in Europe by Ivan J. Houston, with Gordon Cohn