Remembering the 77th Anniversary of Ponte Dirillo and Operation Husky

NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

Lieutenant General George S. Patton Jr. holds the Seventh Army command flag he has just received from Vice Admiral H. K. Hewitt (left), U.S. Eighth Fleet commander, on board USS Monrovia (APA-31), en route to Sicily, circa 7 July 1943

Naval History and Heritage Command

Loaded LCVP alongside an attack transport (probably USS Leonard Wood), off Sicily on "D-Day," 10 July 1943.

Naval History and Heritage Command

The 6-inch/47-caliber guns of a Brooklyn-class light cruisers bombard enemy forces at Licata, Sicily, during the Allied landings, 10 June 1943

Naval History and Heritage Command

LST's unloading onto a pontoon bridge at Scoglitti, Sicily, 10 July 1943.

Naval History and Heritage Command

Remembering the 77th Anniversary of Ponte Dirillo and Operation Husky

Story by Megan Mills, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

Driving along SS115 near Gela, you might not realize that you are passing a site of historical and emotional significance. Surrounded by fields and miles from the nearest town, Ponte Dirillo marks a tragic and courageous moment from Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily during World War II.

On July 10, 2020, representatives from both American and Italian forces participated in an annual remembrance ceremony. Ens. Mattheu Corbett, Naval Computer and Telecommunication Station (NCTS) Local Network Support Center Director, served as master of ceremonies, and Chaplain Lt. Ryan Albano led the invocation. Lt. Commander Cayanne McFarlane, Executive Officer of NCTS; Lucio Greco, mayor of Gela; Mr. Ventura, Ponte Dirillo memorial groundskeeper; and members of the Gela Kiwanis Club also attended the remembrance. Army Cpt. Dustin Mondloch served as guest speaker and reflected on the sacrifices made at Ponte Dirillo.

“As I stand on these hallowed grounds surrounded by fellow American joint service members, allied military partners, and the welcoming community from all around Sicily, I am humbled by the tremendous sacrifices made on this day and on these grounds 77 years ago,” Mondloch said.

In 1943, Sicily was controlled by Axis forces, and Allied forces planned an invasion by both air and sea to happen in July. On July 10, the 82nd Airborne Division launched an amphibious assault on the coast and also sent 12,000 paratroopers behind enemy lines. Unfortunately, severe weather during the night blew members of the 1st Battalion of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment miles off course. They landed instead among three German pillboxes and were soon surrounded by 10 German Tiger tanks.

Led by Lt. Col. Arthur Gorham, the soldiers who landed at Ponte Dirillo made the most of their desperate situation. Forming small groups, they fought the German and Italian forces through the night and into the morning of July 11. Gorham, a 28 year old Brooklyn native, was killed, but not before several courageous acts, including picking up a dropped weapon to set a German Tiger tank ablaze. According to survivors, he bolstered his men until the very end. For his heroism, Gorham was posthumously awarded two Distinguished Service Crosses, the second highest award for bravery that the United States Army bestows.

By the end of the fighting, the outnumbered Americans forced an entire German battalion to retreat, but 39 paratroopers lost their lives.

Today, if you visit the battle site, you can see not only the bullet-marked German pillboxes, but also a white farmhouse with a plaque naming those valiant soldiers along with the following words: “Extreme were the losses, supreme was the heroism, and from the sacrifice of these men is created the new history of Europe.”

This year, at the ceremony, Army 1st Sergeant Justin Meyers read the names of each of the 39 soldiers, followed by laying of ceremonial wreaths at the base of the plaque.

“Today’s event marks a historic day honoring all that were lost in this horrific battle,” said Mondloch. “As we gather here today amidst a global crisis, with turmoil and strife around every corner, it becomes even more important to remember the power of unity, the bonds of the human race, and the history we share together.”

Overall, Operation Husky was deemed a success after U.S. Seventh Army troops captured the capital of Palermo on July 22 and German troops left the island in August. The efforts of the American, British and Canadian forces ultimately led to Benito Mussolini’s deposal and the surrender of Italy, while tallying more than 14,000 dead on both sides. We continue to remember the sacrifice of the fallen, including those at Ponte Dirillo.