The Fighting Ends in Italy

The departure of the 2d, 3d, and 83d Chemical Mortar Battalion for southern France left only the 84th in support of the divisions of Fifth Army from July until the end of October 1944. This unit found itself scattered along the entire army front. In an effort to make up for this lost support the theater in June 1944 converted two antiaircraft 

CCmlO NATOUSA to CCWS, a Oct 44. CWS 314.7 Personal Ltr files, NATOUSA. 

While the Italian campaign was in progress the War Department drew up still another TOE based upon the recommendations received from battle-experienced CWS officers. The salient feature of this revision was the elimination of one weapons company, a move which placed the battalion on the triangular basis characteristic of the infantry division. The new organization became effective in September 1944, and two months later the 84th and lOoth Battalions reorganized accordingly.  

After his rapid retreat above Rome, the enemy defended positions north of the Arno River, called the Gothic Line, which were not 

The fighting in Italy had altered mortar commanders views as to the desirability of the -ton truck. Too much had been expected of these vehicles. The i%-ton trucks were still needed to haul ammunition from army supply points to the mortar battalion dumps and on to company dumps. Earlier thoughts on transportation had been conditioned by the experience of the fast-moving Sicilian campaign operations in Italy, characterized by slow movements and static situations, brought about the change. Opnl History of Cml Bns and the 4.2-inch Mortar in World War II, p. II, Italian Campaign, p. io . 

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