January 2, 20, and 23, 1945

Click here to read the Operations Report by the 337th Infantry Regiment for January 1945.

At the start of the new year, the regiment established a temporary camp north of Lucca. Positioned to support the 92nd Division, commanders devised strategies to fend off enemy attacks in the Serchio Valley or hold successive defensive lines. Officers and non-commissioned officers conducted ground reconnaissance, ready to execute plans at a moment’s notice. Meanwhile, the troops maintained light training, aligned with the half-hour alert status.

Lucca is in the vicinity circled in red.
Source: https://mapcruzin.com/free-italy-maps.htm.

Johnnie’s January 2, 1945 letter included a couple of specific food requests: canned chicken legs and chocolate cake.

My Dear Darling,

I hope this finds you in the best of health and everything going well back there at home at the start of this new year and I hope and pray this year brings us back together again. I guess by now you have started back to work being that Mom Stacks is a lot better. I received a letter the other day from Louise. She was telling me about how she was gaining weight. She said she weighs a hundred and ten now and that her health was better than it has been in a long time. O yeah, you know Uncle Ernest? Well Louise wrote me and said that he had got married again and little Tommy and Betty Jane was staying with him and his wife. Buddy is in the Navy. Has she ever written you and said anything to you about any of this? O say, the watch you sent me. Something has gone wrong with it. If I can, I am going to send it back to you to have it fixed and I want you to have me a new band put on it also, OK? By the way, have you ever got the money I sent you yet? Hope so. Say, be sure and tell Mom Stacks the next time they kill a couple of chickens to send me the legs if there is some way for her to can it. The last letter she wrote me she said something about it. I really miss your chocolate cakes. When I get back, you’re going to make them and make them till wherever I look I will see them, Ha Ha. Say, has the baby arrived yet? I mean Nell’s baby, or babies, Ha Ha. She didn’t have two, did she? Ha Ha. Be sure and tell her just to show her my pictures and she won’t have no trouble at all with the baby, Ha Ha. Well honey, I will close for now. Keep writing. Tell all hello for me. God bless you. I miss you a lot and I love you a million. 

Always, Johnnie

Johnnie’s sister, Louise

On January 6, 1945, an order was received to return to the Gagliano area and prepare to relieve the 36th British Brigade. The next day, the 1st Battalion, along with Company E, moved by truck to a forward assembly area at Casalino. On January 9, Cannon Company positioned their howitzers near Casetto, and Companies B and C relieved the 8th Battalion of the Argyles and Sutherland Highlanders on Montecalderaro.

Packs are loaded onto trucks by men of Company C, 1st Battalion,
337th Regiment, 85th Infantry Division in preparation for the movement
of their command post to another area, Ponte Moriano area, Italy,
January 6, 1945. Photographer: Thomas, 3131st Signal Service Company.
Public domain.

Two members of Company C, 1st Battalion, 337th Regiment,
85th Infantry Division roll their bed rolls in preparation to leave their
command post for a new area. Behind them several other men are carrying
equipment down from their living quarters. Two small Italian boys
look on as the men work. Ponte Moriano area, Italy, January 6, 1945.
Photographer: Thomas, 3131st Signal Service Company.
Photo Source: U.S. National Archives. Digitized by Signal Corps Archive.
Public domain.

On January 10, the regiment advanced: the 2nd Battalion to Sassimo, the 3rd Battalion to Casalino, and Service and Antitank Companies to the Calabria region in southern Italy. That night, the reinforced 1st Battalion relieved the 6th Battalion of the Royal West Kents on Montecalderaro. On January 11, Companies F and I, both in reserve, assumed positions south of the Cuccoli Ridge, previously held by the 5th Buffs Battalion. After dark, Company G of the 2nd Battalion relieved the 1st Recoe Regiment on Marzolina, and the 3rd Battalion (minus one company) took over from the 2nd North Staffordshire Battalion on Farneto. At noon, command shifted from the 36th British Brigade to the 337th Infantry, and concurrently, the regiment became attached to the 1st British Division for operations.

The regimental zone spanned 6000 yards with a main line of resistance. It covered the Cuccoli-Farneto Ridge, the northwest slope of M Grande, and the Calderaro feature (Calanca, C Rovine, Vezzola, la Costa). Platoon strongpoints on Hills 425 and 386 guarded the draws on the left side of the sector. Ambush patrols blocked all approaches to the front line. Positions were fully manned at night and served as an outpost during the day. On days of poor visibility due to fog, snow, and rain, the night positions operated at 50 percent capacity. The regiment faced formidable enemy troops from the 1st Parachute Division, a top German unit in Italy. Despite appearing defensive, they recaptured M. Castellaro, a hill taken by our regiment in October. They also maintained control over Bursano, M. Mezzano, Poggio, and Bertochi.

On January 12, the 1st Battalion, 339th Infantry, joined the regiment as the reserve battalion. They prepared counterattack plans to restore the main line of resistance in case of enemy breakthrough. At 7:10 PM, enemy infiltrated near Calanca but were repelled. One enemy was captured, and one of our men was taken.

Between January 13 and 16, the regiment focused on enhancing defensive positions. They strategically positioned automatic weapons, registered defensive fires, and installed concertina wire entanglements and trip flares. On January 17, the regiment transitioned from the 1st British Division to the 85th Division. A rotation system limited front-line foxhole duty to 10 days. On the nights of January 19 and 20, the 1st Battalion, 339th Infantry, and Company F assumed positions on Montecalderaro, while Company E replaced Company F in the 2nd Battalion reserve.

Despite his inability to write to Lucile since January 2, Johnnie finally managed to send her a V-mail on January 20, 1945. His concerns about Lucile’s financial situation back home were coupled with excitement over Nell’s baby.

My Dear Darling,

Received a letter from you today and was glad to hear that you are well. In this letter you said something about you going back to your job again. I am sure after staying off so long helping your Mother and Nell you are short on money again. I will send you some as soon as I get the chance. As you know, every chance I get I send you some. I hope this finds all the rest of the family well and OK. Tell Nell I said to start teaching the baby to say Uncle Johnnie, Ha Ha. I miss you a lot and I love you a million.

Johnnie

Nell and Lucile holding their daughters (post-WWII)

On January 21, two platoons from Company A of the 100th Chemical Weapons Battalion positioned themselves in the Clemente Valley near Casalino, prepared to provide supporting fire. Simultaneously, the 3rd Battalion initiated a round-robin turnover, completing the process by daylight. Meanwhile, Company G, previously relieved by Company E on January 15, returned to its role in the 2nd Battalion reserve.

Johnnie, perplexed by the irregular delivery of Lucile’s letters, attempted to explain the situation in a letter he wrote on January 23, 1945.

My Dear Darling,

Well, here it is about gone, the first month of the year and my latest letter from you is the fourth of this month. Also, when I received your last letter, I got two that was mailed the second and fourth of Dec. Most all my mail from you is coming to me sort of crazy. More or less backwards. Some of the things you’re telling me in your letters I don’t even know what you are talking about. But I usually find out in some late mail. Get what I mean? I wrote Mary and little Betty a couple of letters last night. But I didn’t do so hot on the writing. My hands were so cold I could hardly hold the pen to write. I hope they can read it, Ha Ha. How is Mom Stacks and Doc? Tell them both I think of them often. How is Nell and the baby? Has she ever received the things I sent for the baby? What about you and Mom Stacks? How is Edna? Much better, I hope. Give her my regards. Tell Gearl I am sorry but I can’t send him my cigarette butts, Ha Ha. Has he started to smoke around his Dad yet? I am sure he has by now. Has Earl’s wife ever started to work where you are? I guess Nell’s time will be taken up by her baby now, right? Have you heard from Kate lately? I surely would like to drop her a line, but I don’t know her address. Do you? Well honey, I will have to close for now. Tell all the folks I said hello and God bless you. I miss you a lot and I love you a million. 

Always, Johnnie 

Earl’s wife, Elvie (Orr) Stacks