Some 105 years ago today, the doughboys of the U.S. 332d Infantry Regiment wrapped up the Vittorio-Veneto Operation as part of the Italian 31st Division under the command of the British XIV Corps and Tenth Italian Army.
The 332nd was the only American combat outfit to fight in Italy during the Great War. While Washington had planned to send three American divisions to Italy, it turned out the 332nd was all that made it.
Only formed on 30 August 1917 at Camp Sherman, Ohio, the regiment was comprised of large numbers of young men from the Buckeye State, including many from Cleveland, Akron, and Youngstown. Training at Camp Perry in the bitter lake-affect winter cold, they shipped out for England and, post-Capporetto, were detailed to help shore up the faltering Italians.
Keep in mind the U.S. only declared war on Austria-Hungary on 7 December 1917, eight months after it declared war against Germany.
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Members of the 83d Division’s 332d Infantry and 331st Field Hospital arrive in Villa Franca, Italy, NARA. Approximately 1,200 American soldiers took part in the Vittorio-Veneto Campaign.
Arriving at Milan on 28 July 1918, by September units were stationed on the front lines and taking casualties.
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Doughboys of the 2nd Battalion, 332nd Infantry in front line trenches on the Piave sector, near Varage, Italy, September 28, 1918.
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Doughboys of the 332d Infantry on the march near Grave di Papadopoli, Italy, NARA.
Then, on Halloween 1918, they crossed the Piave and fought as the point unit for the Italian division they were assigned to until the Austro-Hungarians quit the war on 4 November 1918.
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“American Soldier, 1918,” by H. Charles McBarron,” American Soldier Series, CMH. The image depicts Doughboys of the 332d Infantry training with a Bersaglieri regiment of the Italian army. Shown in the painting are U.S. Army and Italian Bersaglieri troops as they train in preparation for combat with the Austrians. The soldiers of the 332d Infantry Regiment are armed with the M1903 Springfield rifle and M1905 bayonet and are attired in the standard US Army uniform and equipment of the period. The Bersaglieri are wearing the standard 1909 grey-green uniform with steel grey helmets and cockerel feathers and carrying a pistol and an M1891 6.5mm Mannlicher-Carcano rifle and bayonet at the ready. U.S. Army CMH image
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The shoulder sleeve insignia of the 332nd Infantry was created as a commemoration of its service in Italy and included the winged Lion of St. Mark (symbol of Venice) with one paw resting on an open Bible. U.S. Army CMH images
Then came several months of post-war occupation and peacekeeping duties in the Balkans spreading from Fiume (today Rijeka, Croatia) to Montenegro.
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Soldiers of Co “K”, 332nd Infantry in Fiume – Dinner Jan 9, 1919.
Returning home to a hero’s welcome in New York and Cleveland, they disbanded in May 1919 and, while reorganized and reactivated several times since then, have never seen combat again.
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Parade in honor of returning heroes at Cleveland, Ohio. 332nd Infantry on Euclid Ave., at E. 14th, 29 April 1919. NARA 185-WW-85C31
Their story is probably best detailed in the 76-page Regimental history book printed for its Veterans in 1919.
Of course, fast forward to 1944 and a different 332nd from the U.S. Army would arrive in Italy with a whole ‘nother lineage and a valorous future to be written– but that is another story.
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American fighter pilot Edward C. Gleed of the 332nd Fighter Group watches as two aircraft technicians attach an additional fuel tank to the P-51D Mustang “Creamer’s Dream” at Ramitelli Airfield in Italy. March 1945. Judging by the inscription on the tank, its capacity is 110 US gallons (about 416 liters).
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USAAF armorer of the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, 15th U.S. Air Force checks ammunition belts of the 12.7 mm machine guns in the wings of a North American P-51B Mustang in Italy, ca. September 1944.