Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) Libraries MCoE HQ Donovan Research Library Fort Benning, Georgia Report date: 4 April 1944 Title: Interview with COL Robert B. Hutchins – Sicilian Campaign and Initial Phases of the Italian Campaign: Automotive Section, Part 3. Author: United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, GA Abstract: This report is an interview by COL Robert B. Hutchins on the Sicilian Campaign and the initial phases of the Italian Campaign. This is Part 3 titled: The Automotive Section. Number of pages: 11 p. Notes: From the MCoE HQ Donovan Research Library, Fort Benning, GA. Documents collection. Call #: D769.1 .U201 1944 Part 3. Classification: Unclassified; Approved for public release
Transcript
Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) Libraries MCoE HQ Donovan Research Library
Fort Benning, Georgia
Report date: 4 April 1944 Title: Interview with COL Robert B. Hutchins – Sicilian Campaign and
Initial Phases of the Italian Campaign: Automotive Section, Part 3.
Author: United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, GA Abstract: This report is an interview by COL Robert B. Hutchins on the
Sicilian Campaign and the initial phases of the Italian Campaign. This is Part 3 titled: The Automotive Section.
Number of pages: 11 p. Notes: From the MCoE HQ Donovan Research Library, Fort Benning, GA. Documents collection. Call #: D769.1 .U201 1944 Part 3. Classification: Unclassified; Approved for public release
Ii D769.1... 201
Interview with Col. Hutchins.
Part 3
DECLASSIFIED.DOD DIR 5200. 9
-1s#t t s 0Mo~ Ztotf
A~mT b ' W0 haies *t OheSItatan 0 40
ovr htale;failure t ha.a4he b. Jep h
A. Qtiik f ct t .tt. t tr h/;*o . and EIenA iua aii+ moor roul+e. ha m+"+ore
/ mm~mthis ~eep t m. anything else, ton*zeslent Itwudg nWASbeotvhil 'i he wolinma aeor our+ on . It s.uited ourprps b +++eer tha anyhin
else.m we *. rn carry et ti+zes. ..+i , ou Can.+
4 mA+ ou hve AA) two flatte?
A.wa yoes*a
tra++evente use of th e v+ehicles tire,, motors,
amno. s+eono, 1 don't m the *4+ aa ifi.cm~ent Joba,and w e s eldom had v ecle on t'o 4* taom..
4 d l r sse it
A. Wme 414 Issist onft t oheoke€ and insp he + ecti+ngotft+er dvotingm a lot+ ofe tme+ tl+roueh e to+ thO
vehifles.++ Moat of te+he tob+ w'e l. Noin
A. We had somee, bt couldn't say that hey e~, teflla
Q. CV*4@ ,"I-.al the time?0
Q. Pi+d yoeu say tha when, you went in, each tme you. ha aful ompl-.ement of vehicles?
A. Wo , not a fl complement, due to shipping space. We too
aOximtey %ofor veiltotoiil. Wenwe en
to4;itysecareda% f h vhcls
DODK52.ASSIFIE0.DOD R 5200.
. i P6- Yu a7 you lost a lot of vebte due to setm cmbat
Not a 10tot,t e 4 -3. :00t . e ou VO ee tire im tome+imftn-es fr++ rwtn over. the. wide- of a rm+a4
4. bra w soouts+ of vehices a~vailable, to + vthat typ "
A.0 7 at nwer that, t n #04 receive tb abut a4.*4*taf+ "W"t e "putina Go tesa in- didn' get tm.q u i t e t o 4 0 0 * 1 . . . . .. . ..
. Zoshave indiated 6that your riven 'ate eerati pnoti*4iy t nty-.o~ur zothir a / ; 0 aea di you ,use
A. We estaieh the practice of baflnga extra driv .forteat. , tnt
4. ~ ~01 we44h oe aA.. We went ovr 15% over..stre tin offirsv and men and7 t ooksome of-our o nwe tad -n, t th ervice oopn faewweextra drive n..m Any veplaoent cr ein,i we+ use them too,0 k
4. Ou onddn'4 tett t to o .perate onT/4A. WoI doubt if Zouc - The men drove twentrto ur a
day #Znour east we were moving very rapidlyt.h u tulyten., the voe#: im your regim were apt to
A. X+s$ e ts of+ tim es,- t " ony ta, ot had ee nt (A a
Bb a)while we. vea twd.Wftridt ketqu tin houses ov,+e, ty so we could g~~give It to teso. Thatse0+t on exta20o $0 ++mil~es of, haulingt . and a constant.....1
.4 What e of ecrityd'd u use on bivouac
hu fan wheAi hih vehclso in aot7aprt. 'e used th etr.a pers'OI . drves for pro.
4.Did yo indicate 444thedirete emy f
A. Tha w left up to tlhe erice compny er. lie oss
•4 . Did + you have any montay r semi-annua inspetion?
A. Yes# as0 nea as w eould, e m e a 00, mil e e00ck. Themaintenanceofficer wasconstantlUy worigoncecssmdly. at the endof. an peraton the division motorVfierpitnspected the vehies,+ cheedA up parts needed andcondtion of vehices.m ?4antenanoe oferse~++ madme Ire .an
spot checks of+ their vehile..2. When vehicles are going tventy..fou hours a day,+ how ofen.
woul they get s ervicee ... . . .
A. The only way we ould do this was to+ hav the drivesinspect their vehicles and report anything wron to themaintenancee offier . " " +"
:,"' .. DOD DIR 5200. 9t
DECLASSIFIED.SDOD DIR 5200. 9
that ths rivers are weak in or uS ~n! n+
thehouW+ bm+ee bsiS ~o++ ipot heit ntr~elae*
of the ebtotee
A. N."Z h+t then win aewitau he ad npttetZ+ think the+ first sehla setu is :, th u.Twhere. yfeo troe starts0 +e you frs seiooi Rde httR. 0.+ a
eabeloti,+ trat. ene e yo save.+ a.o.a robt
Q.~ M 4t0 eitrsigt ya ooeta hss
that ,.6 more , thn ot.
at nig~hta- dko te e: ot I.#-r?A. At night. a trlts erely.
.Ddoo have sm ont pt.+ T.o.bo.e,
A.' 10 ezeefentM m ap k Os$0 in Soy ta . be t
wos 0 go9t%4trog theSithoW? h asadw
4t y~~.. .'
roproun thmthywey good veryaoizrate
4.o Whatwas he0,attet1uithey got downa tot,
A . Whe n toge tdovthOO*WPVOe T ernoisO.ne i don t te latonede 0" Ow .M4. .U D 0d0ou 4euseOf sria ap'.rdivn
A. Yero we issuOedstrip- map s4uall oUnna im e had to
. es te n teligenee soon pronf th ,e within we 't
A1. Yes the " wodo-o metenmu.,
. Th00e aymai.ntenanea etineelon from infomatione ve av there are s iiato sthat in
some,- itehelon is d"oig 4 sheons wrka Ain soeistavaes.04 WechelOn is assiti nhiahtto wrki
ote nie owddthat wor0otainyow.roorganiationt
A. YOU aretwV.,t; threl I.quite aquetionbet0n4td4 31.
ecy o tnne sonassa vehl gets lt &$your mantemaneseo ton in oxeer to ae dey will dosoe of 4 o e n s intea e, ,They .. ..hoa.ld t but$ i,.toe 0 time ovand hesmai en ne ons have tolthey are o te epars
+enace• wa+? DECLASSIL.h,e3 D " ODDIR 52X0.
A. te 4*4 sot La m oreantnti. .... i.. hi..s r
,.,
t t t +he divieon e u+s+ the ot rtaMn @ryin train:v + bi'aa area.: .t..
4. What ea 414. yn UJ .".use i retz t
.We. pln ca IVe pfon cared -. et tenafonOt , l tis. Wl:e ea vW drier Of1 se
&i~n* ardrerec* y eas wih fll one.
q. Ut ad t tool for maitenacewatdi yu av
A. We sne the kit ast i0SUedth noIt, elsy. wthe, r it a ppJ teQ hot.h
oPlaifte bt lcWa, oos
A Ye 'byeh i ndtoot.
4, Zn #ok*of oeig vhices.was" account kept a0d 4
it combk after tn en* r?A.O Amyt dlt in ombtU---, 0-oAf cor, wen't ceoult
rivrs lt
It Wet one we repor it Iyov;it#l$4$
e. tr oa tvy *hnl tire, e t avskedo epaeen n
*wn *n iti on did ourdrvesgowihnhtt.cs
A.441- te.drive went with the vehicle.0On 41 "ootwe 1,ta or Otinr0alongtoo.
4'.1 *14 "o have aY u-Se tor the wris-t0:ompass*-?
possible w had idf es 4 wthe wayto".
4. 04 they 0 alo00$at part 0? theinfanotryt
A. Yes 600,an
4.t P4yuhvenuhiyOur re mtdyMto$ doS thatoojdA. you 0#.t
q.P5 Ouhv alM~t7?r-l n iiin
Q~ hfa OQ ef tis outr an wntto ttP/9-,4 d-d'they, giv
an eas s''ieoutof is, U pitsus trining t N r
v. Did thatrStandayal itt g0sdhst..dhA.. Yet.ot I
4# Ot dthe Clerthe b)eaches whesaathet o IA44? U th 04atti~h oa~mealnofee3n ntbete;isit
AS V47?o&o
A. IeS$ You CnthlitThyddP watty 04vspt.o Grmnboaitrandi&ail~t
DOmdeOUnieseth trop hve siob r vain.Yol a'
4. t wa ute.1.44 -Ith ak(olte hiamrnngw
A. -Weha o od u ova eils ntetw mhbiu
4. Were th#~~ tetdt.1ilius.trg
with.ho a this6 is, doeaeto logcagr rbatteries.
we1a Iaz444oeurecedov a steie is iceardtho "A~os that
A. idl-you haveofntfi1oient'fgas?
0.A4tctc o atirems O1 of yusplyitalla tns avigt
A. ~ ~ ~ ~ Am I 0Ote adsgs nte od4. Hwcol* h "odier.fndthlton? . ho-1
A* YAenti.n1dthatVyo ha, dlan SO00for0secrity"of the.biouacft
aA. i Ou h4aeoccaon ytrortuVtoDid your bivoac
A.4 NOWnver. I was bombed bt nve ttcedbyay1arost# kept i1-theack aro fvgUss from004 the frn.Iwud
,o 5 4
VIA D' o p r t a .nfl tme* a , apart ofr-the d i so-t o r
A.00wrka a'dl avnnat 411. la ists.
4.As Art o ur4 iaaroin we teao'h day angh rv00onvoys ,orgmAzaton -of' biVous wdeeseo forwar
eta., 4o thgat pon, 'sthere v Peinpa~zethat would0 clfOrpofadtring
A* The0e1.sould4 bs ell rudeM i.Mrein.M,
th 0 a~brfr prtcinais t.alIatV, .Ki
4. ~o oufel tha wih the infatry divis IonUter i"needfo atrasportation corps or an jt.nltrc
unitach ould supplementmovements. *ad be drtl
A.*, thk twouldbeabig hel. teyha aquart. stetrck an Ow. That .isntflea9 u ft
Is ovd vhileadon such0h" o no aAn addti1tru ecpnytrthat patI ee would enhacth
oprtOn# of the'preo t t divsion.O
.perhap abtlinw tofw companiestneo dvsocontrol en you.0A. had toaesutl an'mzusad ~*meats of thba t kind44would ea eyflxbent
A. ~ ~ A~ -ge ihyu SI snow I t 1isnot suftisent th
dtlio alsontergionts4% tomh. Xa'UP adhelp themout sitheir hals and0shttl o
4. beiew yo etioiedthat you had raio 60 tle~tifrmyrrgimen0 ta GP back to the bi o"area, Was
A. NO. it was0:the 284 set. Ad Iremembetatint oslWerfound h radiosomeho-w. Someoa.nUwaicationawith the
4. Tat ws th trouble we found.,and I wondere ife badoeanythng to help the situation.
A.I ont know whetheorthat applied in the renst ofthrgmnsithe ivson think It dd. IThinkousinloffic11er made arrangments for that.
4.Tee snw a radi o in the T/ f for the s ervice c omp any.
to .4".41z At. sot as frtor by tz' i p
4. Ott a large rnrash by ntors, O yhau n olyte 0 aPe
A* NOYea.v d.i4.X A ovmntb ev a.. hifle diohthv rtttfl
e~ra riverand thin he arriea so orZ~l
F.Yuwud' ry to p1Ou a vebtil wihaS0OltberItVwould be anyone?
A. 10e#; one tha e .to be tee
bQ. th*ystill ate SA R for. preteotioV
A. I thb 1%ib 4th 0do
.t 11ehav h. eslar alt ofod epor00 ofthe 5th .ndOheihtgh al , a yut say otiuinfoosto
A* They are ra ther an old ant(adtonl0 ttwhen the0ea0eInamost Of theIotaf0cerpevonrlkewes
'nte hr socain ttesummer cmsadithat way built p aceranti U gte s, '
them upa litte bitand .ftt probbyddt himorae. eneallythe offiders0ne eehor w
from assooi1-atkxw eihri uiesOr sm tewhih eeed to hep.
4. Inonecio wi-th thatdo you,think atthe bosftboe 46 thVobeing from th Wet an bi outdor enand
knwi'how to live in woodst had awf-lin to do ith -it
.Dintb they Iwothe other boysinprt~tyVwell? The$
A. Yesl 1;that's atru.This Iv iionspent A lot oftieti.1the fie, and-d aloofIdnsmngte.Theyof ourse, areat,,home in tuthe wos I at hnthey oge anteat- Iniht in the woods. thir direction i
A.2 WQ144OA sy els
,Des thebs. ata the andbfag -slow it dowlUT Otd*Mito
A.lk dtthit -i t s.2?w nedd$rped we seemedtoakitwithou t trouble '4th the sandbags in ,the Jn01..0
bivou,1acarea. nSPI you haVe e ntries walfl Orre "they
A'Thy ta i.They had ?t~O~cesV and thywere more Or lsscatteredto o. bservearou" nd h ermtr.1e4441
aotaly alk their poot.
Q. wrethe0re 00s;lytwo in a foxhol
4.Wrehr any times when aircraft t ooka a single vehcl
A. os.* The Getw-ans would at taok anythi thd Innwc5able S, ates wherethey 41d sweep down sand -atra0 irvle
veil.Iwouldn'tasay i t vwastheordir th'Ing btbad 'to be on the alert at sall flies.
4,DdyOU bri.ng your ktchentUrucks ap eveV t igt?
a wo, diAdn't. We lived mostlyoff- X.and 0 rtosathemeon heated coffee with the stoves issued. I broughtU thektchensup every time it Iwas possible.0 I think '6ea'n set t -h. m tap 014 .an tmewe can, eshudo4 it
tt mke-a great differeonce.
4. WensaottkslW engaged, you didn't makeay tp did youa
A. N*:49n1wre so scatter doat in front -itwould be: an
q*- Did yom,-n -into anyra traps that the flermanso are pattifout nowwhere hey 6cauflnage the
A. No, we never ra into any trapodw 00 unitoosorO4es. N~veztybridge that the GOermsn wItliMOrew oer, they,
b~u,-o it was a continualJobfor-the enginerstkeep the bypassesoen
4. Yu mntined somethn but replac emt. idouhvdi fficulty getingreplacoements fo r the-men lost?
A. N-optacerseOntaaneOOi rr e OiArly Oacetims yea would get,them when youwr eactally iuWO m n the front; lines.i
~~~~,~~T 0e a euma of ffoz ± etid eelZaow that yea btt 0(%
T. Y6'imth a idth hi. as a ev i4 $ te attteet .
A* Oh h +m+mm .00 6 +m+.0- 014- .O-ft ** tih :
Q. W fl$~n oe RQmanyto. indr dant know how ta MO'ttsal hdomtdhWabtkeigthe esa.
oo.,!* nWdtrI
4.tIwapn 044+ +. you fin tate dinte o li+P rm + e++ up to
the daty hey weremadettar
A.( fly offiosre dtn' Uke them *+.+m .m t thi tlvit.:P Wa
tx-OIY dlto0tt aryethy 0eratsreo*tAl t T, h . The heav *abn gun .is 'by ta hebs
flap" tov * here, 'but i'tt isdlfiuttrae zIt1 s tOo heAvyUomeAo,* SSthe ltenhls
Wesupe tthem Wth lt-ht mahin te henwvent
aft .s end erated+ them.. til..e...6..t.....M. .t.
1st p t .The Werte t Ov so 4?-to ry nd not. a t a+ at.
min me me~ .+ +m++
4., Did ya+m ma. te ay b t mm +-., +e+ hyef, e
A.o Yes .41-4bat I th±* the imte aeu a
D"OR PE+ .1def~tvea.themat es eonttonee .it entirly. in
IYe bettheUS baot~V on odv.tri ts nipes
4. what type afvehiOle414 te"s0ea
A. We0, diaa:bft en 'AO
Atts we&& oufee sthesaettfcorfo yu
A. ~~~e Wi~ to *h tre he w-eaot 1,smll1
Vtaoxay' tabl4ts.theGeflatts )st. ZI bettor to WatthI ~eos4a.Z n tatso h aaelf
a to''bI IL A4t*e ix aga e nda iian *n o.flifintO. atthe we .tats le anVoudAla t
loo atotofv b Mbttng ti Is heGranswodpost aininn an a.whrthytohtyuolgnteshov4Lersot t rods ikely OP looati*R5. They are
Q. t Wawodyosa'the AMerican eldA' o'ttamdn tlee 64tu aar rmthe vi ewpoiint Of tte htt 0
A. 11 1011a the Aorison solder -is0as god*asay oVer thta1*m pinionh he4 Md his Own Againtte.e h'
Jutae ada eod a0i t.' ~e' o s taa ft tot as the. aerMan an.ythi w- e can do to irovthe
fis tOur., e4,olitewe shoul -d-0. The enaab ha aforye f ombat athey. know 41ll.the triciks of thetrad
they no how t o take avantage of terrain; better thfl.attearpat m asteor s -iathe use ofmrtars.- Our OldiR
. . boi.ed .or.as .e.s.f Itnettg u auedoi-att say ewhold btat wvay but we shoould teoh him ho'sa
opprtuityand won t t hesitate t 11and hesodntakanythingfor gran.wth himI, Sil*'th Gr ans o
torwszd ith a wite fla tandlwhn they gotpithi hrdistace te drppedit And started irig,1ill1g to o
moon1ifl the ttrst divisi. Ithinb ou sldIer -hasaall'.theguts inthe orld ,and de afieJobut hatseewe sn4to in-Osti -1l n him that he is1.Agaist aexcemllet ttghtingisan in, hthe dtrwan Will limprove him 0andkeep him frombeg
q41, Ofe colonel Made 8a statement that staywed, with me he said.theMar41tolder is lzespreciallyt' When It comes t
doin thngs e desnt.lilt.todo.
A.to Iintfind it tht wa..LIthink 'YOou ae toPse*tasaaidO If he men are accustomed. toa that standard thewil rflw it. Ihad very ltl tobewih ISOh1Sthey were a laim their rifles, and Ji.wa911
waninghow mch prte t edid.take In them. wuln'sa'they Awere lazya not .reseeing how th#7sae hrug
irs y gm en.I feel1,Very pouaflhe.Thydidetrthing I ask em to do, an dt hey had a tot to do.* Wge
should tress to them, qthalt ift snt a lifght Matt er find thattheymastbe pepaed in ever y way -w physically andote.
wise- to surviVe. The man who Is prepared a.nd is on his-gttsr oisthe one-who is going toome out ali ve.
