I’m continuing a blog on most days until mid 2025 following my father’s exploits and adventures during WWII. Each blog will represent what he and the men with whom he was fighting were doing 80 years ago on the exact day of the blog. Below are links to last month’s blogs:

• May 1, 1944 — Training for Operation Buffalo to breakout from Anzio
• May 4, 1944 — Many men wrote their final letters home from Anzio
• May 8, 1944 — Phil and his men don’t know it but the war in Europe will end one year from today
• May 9, 1944 — Phil writes his mom from Anzio about his first possible promotion
• May 10, 1944 — Continued preparation for a giant all-out attack to smash out of Anzio
• May 11, 1944 — Every man on Anzio could feel that they were the next to breakout
• May 16, 1944 — The horrific casualty statistics from Anzio
• May 17, 1944 — On Anzio Phil received his first promotion to 1st Lieutenant
• May 18, 1944 — On Anzio the front-line men realize a vast operation is coming
• May 19, 1944 — D-Day for the Anzio breakout set
• May 20, 1944 — The first warning order to move up and out from Anzio
• May 21, 1944 — Phil’s last letter home before the Anzio breakout commenced
• May 21, 1944 — The horrific number of casualties on Anzio
• May 22, 1944 — Finally! Breaking out of Anzio
• May 23, 1944 — At daybreak the breakout began, and it meant kill or be killed at Anzio
• May 23, 1944 — The first day of the Anzio breakout saw the 3rd Division suffering nearly 1000 casualties – the heaviest on our side
• May 24, 1944 — “The bitch is dead” at Anzio
• May 25, 1944 — Phil and his men continue toward Rome
• May 26, 1944 — A deadly mistake by US pilots costs over 100 casualties on the road to Rome
• May 27, 1944 — A brief rest allows Phil to write home
• May 28, 1944 — Fierce fighting on the road to Rome

• List of my April 2024 Blogs on “Where was Dad 80 years ago today?”
• List of my March 2024 Blogs on “Where was Dad 80 years ago today?”
• List of my February 2024 Blogs on “Where was Dad 80 years ago today?”
• List of my January 2024 Blogs on “Where was Dad 80 years ago today?”

Could I ask a favor? Could you let friends and family who are WWII aficionados know about the blog? They can sign up for it at www.DrWalt.com.

You can read more about his heroics and exploits in At First Light: A True World War II Story of a Hero, His Bravery, and an Amazing Horse.

In case you haven’t read or listened to Dad’s book, you can learn more or order it here.

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