![]() But with the end of the North African campaign and preparations for Operation Husky, their role quickly changed. For the next 3 1/2 months they had remained close to the secured port of Oran, their only duties routine, noncombat engineering. In fact, they had only been in the Mediterranean theater for five months, having arrived fresh from the States in Oran, Algeria, at the end of January. There was not a single battle-hardened veteran among them. His men lacked any combat experience, however. ![]() No one had more confidence in their abilities than Major Stanley Dziuban, the 1st Battalion’s commander. Dickman, the men of the 1st Battalion, 39th Combat Engineer Regiment, appeared ready for their mission, but they were actually a question mark. ![]() Headed for Sicily aboard the transport Joseph T. #Boom beach landing craft extra ability fullYet what most accounts fail to point out is that a full third of Darby’s command at Gela was neither Rangers nor infantry, but rather an untested battalion of combat engineers. History has proved very kind to the Rangers’ efforts. The mission to take Gela would add even more luster to the Rangers’ reputation and greatly increase admiration for their leader. Darby and his Rangers had already gained considerable renown in the North African campaign. The task was therefore to be given to a new, elite group of the U.S. Its capture and defense were critical to the success of the whole operation, and the anticipated street fighting would require special handling. ![]() Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, was only a few hours away, and elements of the 1st Infantry Division were on their way to their intended target, the coastal area of Gela.Īmong the important objectives of the group was Gela proper, a quaint fishing town with a population of about 32,000. In the evening of July 8, 1943, a group of transports and supporting warships was steaming eastward along the Tunisian coastline toward the next joint British-American operation of World War 11. World War II: 39th Combat Engineer Regiment in the Battle for Gela | HistoryNet Close ![]()
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