On the night of November 26-27, the 1st Battalion relieved the 3rd. On November 29th, Companies I and K were detailed as carrying parties to deliver supplies to units of the 142nd Infantry.

Although artillery exchanges dominated the action during November, our patrols entered German positions and constantly explored the forward areas in an effort to determine the strength and disposition of the Krauts. These actions were marked by frequent clashes with the enemy, the taking of prisoners and the loss of men.

Our 1st Battalion was attacked by about 100 enemy troops on the night of November 30th. The Germans, assaulting in the dark from three sides, were forced to withdraw after bitter exchanges of fire and minor engagements at close range.

The disagreeable weather and the roughness of the terrain proved even more formidable than the Germans. The cold, grey, dismal November days extended into December. The daily rains continued and the earth became a black gravy of mud. The rocky slopes became even more slippery and treacherous. The fighting holes remained filled with water. There were no buildings in the area and troops in reserve positions slept under conditions comparable to those of the elements maintaining the line.

On the night of December 2-3rd, the 3rd Battalion, less Companies I and K which were still attached to the 142nd Infantry, relieved elements of the 2nd Battalion less Companies F and G which remained in position.

On the morning of December 6th, the first Italian troops to enter combat with Allied forces arrived in the regimental sector to effect relief of our 1st Battalion on Mount Lungo. The Italian units were the 1st Motorized Group which contained, among others, the Bersagliere Battalion. The Italian Headquarters was set up in the same building with the regimental command post.

The units of the 2nd Battalion which had been in reserve moved up on the night of December 6-7th and relieved the 3rd Battalion elements on Mount Rotondo. The 3rd Battalion, rejoining Companies I and K, continued to support the 142nd Infantry by carrying supplies for their attack into the steep, slippery slopes of the Mount Camino-Mount Maggiore hill mass.

Our 1st Battalion, relieved by the Italian units, closed into bivouac near Presenzano on December 7th. Several German planes strafed the valley and road near the regimental command post as well as our positions on Mount Rotondo.

At 0630 hours, December 7, 1943, the Italians launched an attack, climbing up the southeast slopes of Mount Lungo in an effort to clear the hill of the enemy. They were met with heavy fire and were repulsed. Although they had suffered heavy casualties, they reorganized and made a second attack which resulted in a slight improvement of the line.

The 1st Battalion was placed in Division reserve and was moved to positions in the vicinity of Venafro on December 8th. Our 3rd Battalion reverted to regimental control on December 9th, and was moved to the Presenzano area. Company E, less one platoon, was detached from the 2nd Battalion and moved into position along the railroad track south of Mount Lungo to cover a gap in the Italian flank and to serve as security for artillery units. Before the 3rd Battalion, which had marched all night, had had time to bathe or rest, it became necessary to send Company L, with a section of guns from Company M, to a position alongside of Company E. The remainder of the battalion was able to bathe, and then was moved into reserve southeast of Mignano.

All elements of the 2nd Battalion were directed to prepare to participate in an attack on the San Pietro heights, which was scheduled for December 15, 1943

On the morning of December 14th, eight German planes bombed and strafed the regimental command post, causing several casualties. The Regimental Commander was evacuated with multiple body wounds. Enemy planes were again over the area during the afternoon and bombed the position occupied by our armor which had moved northeast of Mount Rotondo to support the proposed attack

Moving under cover of darkness, the command post was displaced forward and located at the southern base of Mount Rotondo. Company F and Company G moved to positions south of the stream line which lay approximately three-quarters of a mile north of Rotondo. Company E remained in position, constituting the battalion reserve. The 3rd Battalion moved into positions vacated by the readjustment of the 2nd. It was from their new position that the 2nd Battalion was to launch its attack on San Pietro.

The objective of our attack, San Pietro, was an old Italian village situated on the southern slopes of Mount Sammucro at the extreme eastern end of the Rapidan Valley. The approaches to the town consisted of a series of fortified terraces — walled olive orchards which had been stripped bare by incessant artillery fire during the month of November. We knew the Germans had automatic weapons disposed in depth and placed to cover each terrace on the approaches to the village. These lines were strongly supported by mortars and artillery. All emplacements were well constructed and protected overhead by lumber, rock and soil which enabled the enemy to call mortar fire directly upon their own positions. The attack was to be coordinated with that of the 143rd Infantry Regiment, which was to assault from the high ground north of the San Pietro-Venafro road, and with a company of tanks which were to attempt entrance into the village by use of the road. As soon as the town was taken, the 142nd Infantry Regiment and the Italians were to launch an assault against the German positions on Mount Lungo. Our 2nd Battalion was to attack in a column of companies down the narrow defile between the base of Rotondo and the terraced slopes, overrun the enemy defenses and enter the village from the southeast. Company G, reinforced with machine guns from Company H, was to lead the attack, followed by Company F, similarly reinforced. Armor located in the draw north of Rotondo would support the attack with direct fire.

The sun came out on the morning of December 15th and the skies cleared. It became warm, and we became wet with perspiration underneath layers of winter clothing. With the clearing skies a number of enemy planes appeared and bombed and strafed the regimental command post, the field train and Cannon Company areas. just prior to noon, our artillery began preparatory fires. Machine guns and the armor placed fires just forward of the line of departure. One soldier, observing the crack of hundreds of bullets overhead, the "ground swell" of the exploding artillery and the rain of spent fragments, remarked, "We never had a battle experience course as good as this in North Africa."

The attack, scheduled for 1200 hours, was delayed on account of the tanks. At 1250, the 2nd Battalion Commander called his alerted companies by phone: "You attack in nine minutes."

"Does that mean whether you call us back or not."

"Yes."

The prearranged signal went to the waiting platoons: "Let's go into town where we can spend our money."

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