Biazza Ridge - US Army | Gallery

Biazza Ridge

July 10 1943


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://ww2incolor.com/gallery/us-army/34282/biazza-ridge

The tank is a Panzerkampfwagen IV.

This is the poster’s description:“I hope someone can help me. I was reading a book and came across an old picture, and my entire family thinks I’m crazy but I think one of the soldiers in the picture is my dad. It’s a very old pic, the faces are not very clear and there are no names of soldiers, and I’m not sure what my dad’s battalion was, but here’s a description. Biazza Ridge Sicily, July 11, 1943, the soldiers are taking the picture on a captured Tiger Tank. The book is Combat Jump, if anyone knows the names of the soldiers I would love to hear from you, Thank you.”

A good photo that lacks explanation… This is what I could "dig" up: Paratroopers of the 82nd "All American" Division fought a characteristic airborne battle on the Italian island of Sicily during the invasion of that island in 1943. Paratroop-infantrymen, together with artillery units, were to take and hold a ridge - Biazza Ridge - just inland from the invasion beaches. From the inland to the coastal area a road ran through the ridge at one point - at Ponte Dirillo. By controlling this road-ridge-junction, the airborne men could stop enemy reinforcements moving from mainland Sicily to the landing beaches.