William B. Mobley
1st Battalion, 142nd Infantry

I should like to recall the time in Feb. 1944 when the 1st Bn. 142nd Inf. was in defensive positions on Mt. Castellone, Italy, just north of the abbey above Cassino.

From this position we had a "birds-eye" view of the bombing of the abbey by the Air Force. I recall noting during the dive bomber portion of the attack how some of the planes were a little skittish about coming too close to the target, while others seemed almost to touch the buildings before releasing their bombs.

One morning about the middle of Feb., an hour or so before daylight the Germans started pounding our positions with an extremely heavy barrage with all types of artillery, mortars, rockets, etc.

I recall Gen. Walker saying later that it was the heaviest he had ever seen. About daylight the German infantry began hitting our front line companies. Cos. B & C with the MG platoons of Co. "D" were on the front lines with "A" Co., in reserve. I remember some of the men saying late that some of their rifles and MGs were so cold that they had to thaw them out by a very unusual method.

The front line companies did an outstanding job against what was reported later to be a regimental attack, but some time later in the morning I received word that some of the Germans had penetrated between "B" & "C" Cos. At Bn. Hq. my Ex. Off. J.T. Middleton and I decided to send a platoon of Jim Minors' "A" Co. from the reserve to drive them out. This they did in grand style.

I particularly recall our frantic rush that morning trying to keep ammunition supplied to the front lines. I particularly recall that they expended an awful lot of phosphorus grenades. It seemed that a grenade of this type would flush Germans from among the piles of boulders and rocks more effectively than the fragmentation type.

After our men had effectively beaten off the attack and things had cooled down (it could have been the next morning) I remember receiving word that a group of Germans under a white flag were out in front of our lines.

I don’t remember exactly but I believe Middleton was put in charge of a group to see what they wanted. It was soon reported back that their Corps Commander authorized a cease fire for, I believe, the next morning.

I do remember that we were not able to carry out all of the dead in the time allotted and the Germans requested an extension of time which was granted by higher Hq. I remember that one of our officers engaged in the transfer met a German medic whose brother we knew in the U.S.

The successful conclusion of this encounter, coming on top of our highly successful night attack on Mt. Lungo some time before was a great morale booster for a great group of soldiers of the 1st Bn. 142nd Inf.