Operation Husky The Sicily Invasion of 1943 - World War II

Operation Husky was the codename for the Allied invasion of Sicily during World War II, launched on the night of 9–10 July 1943.

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Purpose:
To capture Sicily, remove Axis forces from the island, open the Mediterranean sea lanes, and prepare for an invasion of mainland Italy.

Forces Involved:

Allies: Primarily the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, with support from Free French, Australian, and other Allied troops.

Commanders:

Allied overall: General Dwight D. Eisenhower

British forces: General Bernard Montgomery (8th Army)

American forces: Lieutenant General George S. Patton (7th Army)

Axis: Germany and Italy, commanded by Field Marshal Albert Kesselring (overall) and General Alfredo Guzzoni (Italian 6th Army).

Execution:

Began with a massive airborne and amphibious assault—the largest amphibious operation in history at that time.

Two-pronged approach:

Montgomery’s British 8th Army landed in the southeast.

Patton’s U.S. 7th Army landed on the south-central coast.

Airborne troops (U.S. 82nd Airborne and British 1st Airborne) were dropped inland to disrupt defenses.

Outcome:

Sicily was fully captured by 17 August 1943.

The success directly led to the fall of Mussolini’s government in Italy.

Paved the way for Operation Avalanche (Salerno landings) in September 1943.

Notable Points:

First large-scale use of Allied airborne forces in the Mediterranean.

Harsh terrain, summer heat, and stiff German rearguard actions slowed progress.

Marked the start of sustained fighting on Italian soil.

Courtesy to George C.Merz, Lt Col. USAF (Ret) as told to Lewis E. Johnston, 1st Lt AUS (Ret) for the Images.

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