The period of fighting that came to a close with the relief of the 3rd Division by the 45th Infantry Division is known as the “Big War of Little Battles.”

When the “little” battles were over, however, and the stage was being set for the big battle that was about to be fought, it was known in high staff and command circles that this “Big War of Little Battles” carried on chiefly by the 3rd Infantry from March 4 until May 1, had accomplished much more that a straightening of the lines, than killing, wounding and capturing enemy, and destroying enemy equipment.

The sacrifices and suffering of the 3rd Division on Anzio had made for one of the chief factors that was to attain its full importance and recognition in the great battle pending.

It had raised the morale of all troops on the beachhead and had changed the attitude of Allied soldiers from one of defence to one of offense.

For nearly four months the beachhead forces had served as a poised dagger, even threatening to stab into the right flank of the German army that was slowly being pushed north up the Italian boot by other elements of the United States Fifth Army.

The 3rd Division was to be the dagger’s point. It was the instrument that would penetrate the enemy’s defenses and cut rapier-like through his fixed positions. In anticipation of the stab, the first three weeks of May were devoted to sharpening the dagger.

All phases of training centered on the attack with emphasis placed on storming pillboxes and other infantry emplacements, use of battle-sleds, street fighting, coordination of the infantry-tank team, defense against tanks, attack over open country and attack against protected “fossi.”

Infantry-tank cooperation … received the special attention of all regiments and additional hardening exercises were given members of the battle patrols which previously had been organized in each regiment and the Division Reconnaissance Troop. The patrols comprised forty-five to sixty men and were heavily armed for special assault missions.

A battle-sled team for sixty men was organized in each regiment and the innovation created much interest in the Division.

The sleds, invented by Maj. Gen. John W. O’Daniel, were narrow steel tubes mounted on flat runners and were wide enough to carry one armed infantryman lying down.

One medium tank towed twelve of them, which meant that a regimental team comprised  one platoon of tanks and sixty sheds.

They were used to transport personnel through enemy barrages to the front, the armored tubes serving as protection against shell fragments and small-arms fire.

Additional methods [were] devised for breaching enemy minefields quickly and safely.

One of these devices comprised twelve connected 100-foot lengths of primacord with one attached to a 60mm mortar and the other end held stationary at the gun position.

The cord was detonated after being propelled to its destination by a mortar shell. The cord would detonate antipersonnel mines that lay along its path and clear a way into enemy territory.

Another contrivance, called the”M-2 Snake,” was a steel trough filled with Bangalore torpedoes laid end to end along its 200-foot length, which could be shoved into an enemy antitank filed by a tank.[1]

[1] Taggart, 147-148.

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