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WWII - European Theater of Operations/Po Valley Campaign (1945)/Operation Craftsmen
From Month/Year
April / 1945
To Month/Year
April / 1945
Description
D-Day for Craftsman had been set for 12 April, but heavy fog intervened, and the attack was postponed until 14 April. The first air attacks began at 0830, starting with heavy bombs, and followed by medium bombers and fighter bombers. The artillery opened fire at 0910, and the ground forces followed soon afterwards.
The initial attack involved the US 10th Mountain Division, attacking towards the Rocco Roffeno massif. Control of this mountain and the associated ridges would open the road that ran west/ north-west from Vergato towards Modena. The attack would also hit the junction between the 51st Mountain Corps in the west and the 14th Panzer Corps in the east. The massif was defended by the 334th Division of the mountain corps. The 94th Division of the 14th Panzer Corps was on its east. The Mountain Division attack successfully broke a hole in the German line by the end of the first day. The advance continued on the next day, and by the end of 15 April the 94th Division had been forced to retreat. By the end of 18 April the 10th Mountain Division had reached the northern edge of the mountains.
The 4th Corps attack was also making progress on its flanks. On the left the Brazilians advanced north-west from Castel D’aiano, while on the right the 1st Armoured Division took Vergato on 16 April and by the end of 17 April had advanced five miles past the town.
The 2nd Corps attack began on the night of 15-16 April, and made slower progress. They were attacking four German divisions in pre-prepared defences on the line that the Germans had expected to have to defend. The Germans were still holding out across Highway 65 on 18 April, but they were becoming dangerously isolated by the advancing 4th Corps on one flank, and the 2nd Polish Corps of the Eighth Army, coming from the east. General Truscott decided that the time was right to shift most of the 2nd Corps effort to the left to reinforce the success of the 4th Corps.
The final attack towards the plains began at 0930 on 18 April. 10th Mountain and 85th Divisions led the attack. On the right the 85th ran into little or no resistance, and were able to push forward five miles down the valley from Vergato. The 10th Mountain Division ran into more resistance on 18 April, but the Germans attempted to withdraw. This retreat turned into a rout, and on 20 April the Americans finally broke out onto the plains. By mid afternoon the 87th Mountain Infantry, 10th Mountain Division, had reached Highway 9 near Ponte Samoggia, ten miles to the north-west of Bologna. To their right the 88th Division, which had replaced the 85th, reached Riale, and on their right the 6th South African Armoured Division reached Casalecchio, both at the foot of the mountains.
The first Allied troops entered Bologna on 21 April. This included a force from the 133rd Infantry, 34th Division coming from the west, the Poles coming from the east and the Italian Legnano Group.