Sixty-Nine Years Ago Today . . . .

. . . the city of Rome was liberated by Allied forces. 

More properly, it was occupied by forces of the US 5th Army commanded by LTG Mark Clark – or as he was sometimes referred to by those who found him self-centered and arrogant, “Marcus Aurelius Clarkus”. US forces entered Rome after most Nazi occupation forces had been withdrawn vice used to conduct a Stalingrad-style battle for the city. Only a smallish rearguard force was left to delay Allied entry into Rome.

The Allied occupation of Rome was not without substantial controversy.  During the breakout from the Anzio beachhead, Clark’s forces had the opportunity to attack northeast into the Valmontone Gap instead. This would have severed Route 6 (the Appian Way), potentially cutting off and trapping the bulk of German forces then south of Rome between the 5th Army at Anzio and 8th Army forces to the south under British General Bernard Montgomery. 

Indeed, in late May 1944 Clark’s initial orders to then-MG Lucian Truscott were to attack into the Valmontone Gap with his forces (VI Corps) during the breakout from the Anzio beachhead.  However, Clark shortly afterwards countermanded that order. His new orders directed Truscott to split his forces, with a large portion of VI Corps instead attacking northwest towards Rome while the remainder attacked towards Valmontone.

The early liberation of Rome was uplifting and afforded the US 5th Army great PR, but was of little military utility. It is thought by many that Clark’s desire to gain publicity prior to the Normandy landings (scheduled for a few days hence) played a large role in his ordering the dash for Rome.  Clark indeed both knew the approximate date of the Normandy landings and actively sought publicity, so that theory is plausible.

In any case: one of the more famous photographs related to the liberation of Rome is that of two GIs carrying what was essentially a “Rome City Limits” highway sign. The sign is pierced with a bullet hole – the small white dot below and slightly to the right of the letter “O” in the word “ROMA”.

That sign has its own interesting story.  It very nearly changed history.

During the dash to Rome, on 3 June 1944 US forces – specifically, the First Special Service Force under BG Robert Frederick – were briefly held up by Nazi rearguard forces on Rome’s outskirts.  Wanting to know what was causing the delay, LTG Clark and his II Corps Commander, MG Geoffery Keyes, went forward to meet with BG Frederick.

They caught up with Frederick near the ROMA sign pictured above, while that sign was still in place on the road to Rome.  While chatting with Frederick, Clark noticed the “ROMA” sign. Clark then remarked that he’d like to have the sign for his office.

About that time, a unknown German sniper nearly changed the course of history. That German sniper took the three US generals under fire – and missed.  His first round was high, striking the sign and leaving the bullet hole seen above.  That miss gave Clark, Keyes, and Frederick the chance to take cover.  They scrambled to safety, but were pinned down by sniper fire for some time.

During the time they were pinned down by enemy fire, Frederick told Clark:  “That is what’s holding up the First Special Service Force!”

US forces liberated Rome the following day. And as the photo above shows, Clark got his sign.

Category: Big Army, Historical