Nov. 1, 2023

“No Comparable Period of Activity”: Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron FIFTEEN’s Actions After Operation Avalanche

 Author’s Note: During this 80th anniversary cycle of World War II, I hope to correct, at least in some small way through multiple weblog posts, the incomplete historical scholarship given to the U.S. Navy’s missions and activities in the European and Mediterranean Theaters of Operation, compared with those in the Pacific Theater. By utilizing

June 29, 2017

Naval Gunfire Support during the Invasion of Salerno, Italy

During the Allied invasion of Salerno in September of 1943, "Operation Avalanche," the U.S. Navy set a new standard for naval gunfire support (NGFS) only eclipsed by the Okinawa and Iwo Jima campaigns. NGFS, although initially shunned by Army commanders who valued stealth over softened defenses, was an invaluable asset throughout Operation