The Rock Of Anzio: From Sicily to Dachau: A History of the 45th Infantry Division

By John Philip Colletta

Book Overview

Anzio was one of the greatest battles of World War II-a desperate gamble to land a large amphibious force behind German lines in Italy in the hope that the war could be shortened by capturing Rome. It also turned out to be one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. military history. Based on extensive research into archives, photos, letters, diaries, previously classified official records, and scores of personal interviews with surviving veterans of the 45th, The Rock of Anzio is written with an immediacy that puts the reader right onto the battlefield and shows us war through the eyes of ordinary men called upon to perform extraordinary deeds. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813333997
• ISBN13: 9780813333991
• Release Date: April 1998
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A Thourough Review of a Battleworthy Infantry Division

The Rock of Anzio chronicles the WW II experience of the 45th Division, a national guard unit primarily from OK, TX, and NM. This covers prewar status, the callup to federal duty, and its' prodigious battle action in Sicily, Italy including Anzio, France, and Germany. Personal remembrances of former thunderbirds (the divisions' nickname) are widely used as well as the divisional history. Far from being a dry accounting of...

Thought Provoking

My late grandfather was a Thunderbird (157th rgmt, M co), and seldom talked of his World War Two days. After reading this book, I now know why. I can only imagine what it must have been like to live for days on end in a wet foxhole, always cold and miserable. Only have the faintest idea of what horrors he saw when Dachau was liberated. The stories of those days were never told by him. As with many men of his generation,...

Interesting look at a National Guard Division

I really enjoyed this book. It moved so well, and kept my interest from cover to cover. I have read many unit histories, and this work is the most complete. It cover the unit from activation, through all of its battles. Anzio and Dachau must get the highest praise. Anzio is written so well, I can hardly see how the US prevailed in that battle. I also never knew of the conflict between the Thunderbirds (45th ID) and...

This book is a proper cenotaph to men of the 45th Division

I served through the eight campaigns the Forty-Fifth "The 45th Division "Thunderbird" Infantry Division is credited with an I heartily agree with statement by Colonel Anse H. "Eddie" Speairs (Ret) formerly of C Company, 157th Infantry Regiment that, "No Marine has more love for the corps than we have for the 45th." I was one of the many Thunderbird veterans interviewed by Flint Whitlock by phone and letter and am thankful...

I finally know!

My father was a member of the 45th 180th Co E from North Africa to "somewhere outside of Rome" where an artillery shell took him out. He never talked much about it and took most of his personal stories with him this past January. This book gave me a chance of closure on this as I finally got to know the reason for the silence. Thank you to the author and this web site for making this available.