In the Footsteps of the Rock of the Marne

The 3rd Infantry Division and the Battle for Anzio

A Journey Through Valor, Memory, and the Price of Freedom

A Division Forged in Fire

They came ashore before dawn, not only carrying weapons and gear, but the full weight of freedom’s burden. The men of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division, seasoned by battles in North Africa and Sicily, led the assault on the beaches of Anzio on January 22, 1944. It was meant to be a swift breakthrough — instead, it became a long, bitter siege.

Composed of the 7th, 15th, and 30th Infantry Regiments, along with artillery, engineers, medics, and reconnaissance units, the 3rd Division fought for 531 consecutive days — more than any other U.S. division in World War II. They suffered over 25,000 battle casualties, including 4,922 killed in action. On May 23, 1944, during the breakout from the Anzio beachhead, nearly 1,000 men of the division fell in a single day — the bloodiest for any American unit in the European theater.

At Anzio, the division stood firm through bombardment, trench warfare, and counterattacks, helping to break the German lines and open the road to Rome. Their courage helped shape the course of the war — and the legacy of liberty in Europe.

The 3rd Infantry Division Battlefield Experience

This historical journey retraces the steps of the 3rd Infantry Division across the battlefield landscapes of southern Lazio. It is a path of sacrifice, remembrance, and enduring honor.

Itinerary Highlights

·  WWII Museum – Preserving the Legacy. Begin with an immersive visit to the largest World War II museum in central Italy, offering rare artifacts and realistic reconstructions that tell the full story of the Italian campaign.

·  Cisterna di Latina – Where Valor Was TestedWalk the fields of Cisterna, where some of the fiercest battles of the Anzio campaign raged. Along the Mussolini Canal, the 3rd Division endured devastating losses under German fire.

·  The Story of Sylvester Antolak – Courage Beyond FearLearn the story of Staff Sergeant Sylvester Antolak, who charged enemy machine gun nests despite being shot three times. He continued to advance until he collapsed, and his bravery earned him the Medal of Honor. He now rests at Nettuno.

·  Field Headquarters – Echoes of CommandVisit a preserved building used as a wartime command post, where the division’s officers coordinated operations and made decisions that shaped the outcome of battle.

·  Foglino Forest – The First Footsteps of LiberationDeep within the Foglino Woods, a commemorative plaque marks the landing site of the 3rd Division. Surrounded by pine trees, this site offers a moment of quiet reflection where the campaign began.

·  Anzio and Nettuno – The Beaches of FireWalk along the beaches where the 3rd Infantry Division came ashore, under the threat of artillery, mines, and enemy counterattacks. The harbors of Anzio and Nettuno were lifelines and battlegrounds.

·  Sicily–Rome American Cemetery – The Final SaluteConclude the journey at the American Cemetery in Nettuno, where over 7,800 U.S. soldiers rest — including nearly 1,000 men of the 3rd Infantry Division. Each white cross is a testament to duty, sacrifice, and the enduring cost of freedom.

Faces of Valor – Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division

Among the fallen buried at Nettuno are the stories of valor and brotherhood:

·  Sgt. Sylvester Antolak, 15th Infantry Regiment – Killed in action on May 24, 1944, after heroically charging three German machine gun positions while wounded. Awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

·  Pfc. Floyd K. Lindstrom, 7th Infantry Regiment – Awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Italy. Volunteered for a dangerous position and repelled a German assault before being killed on February 3, 1944, at Anzio.

·  1st Lt. Garlin Murl Conner, L Company, 7th Infantry Regiment – Called artillery on his own position to repel a German attack near Cisterna. Awarded the Medal of Honor in 2018, long after his death.

·  Pvt. Carlos B. Perez, 30th Infantry Regiment – Fell on May 23, 1944, in the opening minutes of the Anzio breakout. One of hundreds lost that day in one of the war’s bloodiest advances.

·  Cpl. Milton M. Nelson, 15th Infantry Regiment – Killed on November 10, 1943, during the division’s push along the Volturno River in central Italy.

Each name is a chapter in the story of liberty — and a solemn reminder of the cost paid for peace.

Audie Murphy – The Division’s Immortal Legend

Among the most legendary soldiers of World War II, Audie Murphy served with the 15th Infantry Regiment. He fought through Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and later into France, where he earned the Medal of Honor after holding off an entire German company from atop a burning tank destroyer. After the war, Murphy became a national hero and Hollywood actor, portraying himself in To Hell and Back. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, but his spirit lives on in every soldier who followed.

Structure and Strength of the 3rd Division

·  Infantry Regiments: 7th (“Cottonbalers”), 15th (“Can Do”), 30th (“Battle Boars”)

·  Artillery: 9th, 10th, 39th (105mm), 41st (155mm) Field Artillery Battalions

·  Support Units: 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion, Medical Battalion, Recon Troop, Signal, Ordnance, Quartermaster, MPs

·  Commanders:

o  Maj. Gen. Lucian K. Truscott (until February 1944)

o  Maj. Gen. John W. “Iron Mike” O’Daniel (from February 1944)

The Cost of Victory

These are not statistics. They are fathers, sons, brothers — lives given so that others might be free.

Why These Stories Matter?

The hills, beaches, and forests of Lazio are more than peaceful scenery. They are hallowed ground. Here, young Americans — many barely 20 years old — fought with courage in a foreign land to liberate a continent. Their stories are written into the soil, their sacrifice echoed in the silence of the cemeteries and the wind over the waves.

This is not just a tour. It is a pilgrimage.Walk where they walked. Stand where they stood.And remember them — not as names on stone, but as the guardians of freedom.