Operation Avalanche was the codename for the combined US and British landings on the southwest coast of Italy on 9 September 1943 as part of the Allied effort in the Mediterranean Theater during World War II. The forces landed consisted of the US Fifth Army under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark. The Fifth Army was made up of the British X Corps, which landed south of the town of Salerno, and the US VI Corps, which landed at the town of Paestum.
The landings were carried out by combined forces of the US Navy and Royal Navy.
Naval losses: 2 destroyers, 1 minesweeper, 1 tug, 1 hospital ship
Order of battle
Western Naval Task Force (Task Force 80)
Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, USN
Embarking US Fifth Army (Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark, USA)
: 1 amphibious force flagship: USS Ancon
: 2 anti-aircraft/fighter director ships: HMS Ulster Queen, HMS Palomares
: 1 submarine: HMS Shakespeare
Northern Landing Force (Task Force 85)
Commodore G.N. Oliver, RN
Embarking British X Corps (Lt. Gen. Richard McCreery, BA)
: Combat vessels
:: 4 light cruisers: HMS Mauritius, HMS Uganda, HMS Orion, HMS Delhi
:: 1 monitor: HMS Roberts
:: 18 destroyers: 17 British, 1 Greek
: Amphibious assault vessels
:: 2 amphibious force flagships: HMS Hilary, USS Biscayne
:: 13 transports and LSIs
:: 90 LSTs: 45 American, 45 British
:: 84 LCTs: 24 American, 60 British (5 sunk)
:: 96 LCI(L)s: 48 American, 48 British
: Auxiliaries
:: 7 minesweepers
:: 4 tugs (1 sunk by air attack 13 September)
:: 23 subchasers/wooden hull
:: 27 minecraft
:: 32 motor launches
:: 13 trawlers
Southern Landing Force (Task Force 81)
Rear Adm. John L. Hall, Jr., USN
Embarking US VI Corps (Maj. Gen. Ernest J. Dawley, USA)
: Fire Support Group (TG 81.5)
: Rear Admiral Lyal A. Davidson
:: 4 light cruisers: USS Philadelphia, USS Savannah, USS Boise, USS Brooklyn
:: 1 monitor: HMS Abercrombie
:: 4 destroyers (1 sunk by submarine 12 October)
: Screen (TG 81.6)
: Capt. Charles Wellborn
:: 12 destroyers (1 sunk by torpedo boat 10 September)
Transport Group (TG 81.2)
Capt. C.D. Edgar
:: 19 transports: 14 American, 5 British
:: 3 LSTs: all British
:: 6 scout boats
Landing Craft Group (TG 81.3)
Capt. F.M. Adams
:: 27 LSTs: 18 American, 9 British
:: 32 LCIs: 26 American, 6 British
:: 6 LCTs: all American
Control Group (TG 81.7)
Cmdr. R.D. Lowther, USNR
:: 8 subchasers (steel hull), 4 LCSs
TG 81.8 â Minesweeper Group
Cmdr. A.H. Richards
:: 9 minesweepers (1 sunk by submarine 25 September)
:: 12 motor minesweepers
TG 81.9 â Salvage Group
Lt. V.C. Kyllberg
:: 2 tugs
TG 80.2 â Picket Group
Lt. Cmdr. S.M. Barnes
:: 16 PTs
TG 80.3 â Diversion Group
Capt. C.L. Andrews
:: 1 destroyer: USS Knight
:: 7 torpedo boats: 7 British MTBs, 1 American PT
:: 4 subchasers (wooden hull)
:: 6 Motor Launches
:: 10 air/sea rescue craft
Support Carrier Force (Task Force 88)
Rear Admiral Sir Philip L. Vian, RN
: 1 light carrier:
: 4 escort carriers: , , ,
: 3 light cruisers: , ,
: 9 destroyers: 7 British, 2 Polish
Covering forces
: 2 fleet carriers (Rear Admiral Clement Moody, RN)
::
::: 28 Grumman Martlet fighters
::: 10 Supermarine Seafire fighters
::: 12 Fairey Barracuda torpedo bombers
::
::: 28 Grumman Martlet fighters
::: 5 Supermarine Seafire fighters
::: 12 Fairey Albacore torpedo bombers
: Force "H" (Vice Admiral Sir Algernon Willis, RN)
:: 4 battleships: , , ,
: Screen
:: 20 destroyers: 16 British, 1 Polish, 2 Dutch, 1 French
: Auxiliaries
:: 3 hospital ships: (sunk by air attack 13 September), ,
Notes
References
Sources