This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Diane (TWS Admin) Short, SA
to remember
Boffi, Francesco Verrznzio (Bunko), MM1.
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Contact Info
Last Address 2323 Pebble Beach Blvd Orlando , FL 32826
World War II/European-African-Middle Eastern Theater/Anzio Campaign (1944)
From Month/Year
January / 1944
To Month/Year
May / 1944
Description On January 1944, in conjunction with a frontal assault, the Allies attempted to turn the Gustav Line by landing troops at Anzio. But the frontal attack failed, and the Allies were unable to break out of the beachhead at Anzio until the Gustav Line was breached in May 1944.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
January / 1944
To Month/Year
May / 1944
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Name of Operation: Invasion of Anzio Beach, Italy. This was an interesting venture. Our military had no idea where the shore batteries were. Our squadron of: USS Dallas, USS Cole and USS Bernadou were used as decoys to draw enemy fire. We approached the beach and at midnight we were ordered to turn on our search lights to draw enemy fire. Well it wasnâ??t very long before all hell broke loose. All three ships made a 180 and headed to the rear of the Troup carriers and landing craft. We sustained a minor leak in the forward engine room a riveted seam loosened and water was seeping in. We were there for a couple of weeks and did get some day time liberty in Naples .
As an added memory of this battle; we witnessed the bomb hit on the USS Savannah, a cruiser. We later escorted it to Malta for repairs in a British dry dock area. Meantime I had gotten a letter from my younger sister, telling me that Louis Meschino, whom I grew up with was on the S avannah . I was granted permission to visit the ship and try to see him. I was informed that he was in the #1 gun mount, the one that took a direct hit by an enemy bomb and did not survive.
