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Sicily, 1943

The Allied Invasion of Sicily, Summer 1943.Created by: PICRYLDated: 1943
An Italian seaplane on a Sicilian beach guarded by a British soldier
The Allied invasion of Sicily, code-named Operation Husky, began before dawn on July 10, 1943, with combined air and sea landings involving 150,000 troops, 3,000 ships and 4,000 aircraft and 600 tanks.

Allied troops encountered little resistance. The Axis defense of Sicily was weakened by losses the German and Italian armies had suffered in North Africa, in casualties as well as the several hundred thousand troops captured at the end of the campaign.

On July 25, the day after Mussolini’s arrest, Italian troops began withdrawing from Sicily. As July turned to August, Patton, and Montgomery and their armies battled mostly against German troops pushing the Axis forces until most were trapped in a northeast corner of the island.

After 38 days of fighting, the U.S. and Great Britain successfully drove German and Italian troops from the island. On August 17, 1943, Patton, expecting to fight one final battle, was surprised to learn that the enemy forces had disappeared. The battle for Sicily was complete, but German losses had not been severe, and the Allies’ failure to capture the fleeing Axis armies undermined their victory.
299 Media in collection ∙ page 1 of 3
The first wave. Sicilian invasion. "H" hour of the "D" day draws near and the first wave of men to invade Sicily prepare to debark from Allied transports lying four miles off shore. Landing boats, swung to deck level, are loaded with men and equipment. After they are lowered into the sea, cables are unhooked, the boats are cast off, and engines are started. They circle slowly in formation until the signal to head in is given. A control boat, between the transports and the beach, directs the men to shore. Fires, resulting from Allied naval and air bombardment, burn brightly along the coast and spasmodic enemy anti-aircraft fire meets fierce retaliation frm Allied destroyers

The first wave. Sicilian invasion. "H" hour of the "D" day draws near ...

Digging in. Sicilian invasion. A shore party digs in on the beach and its radio operator sets up this portable equipment to make and maintain contact with ships off shore. In the distance an LCI lands troops under fire from hidden enemy pillboxes

Digging in. Sicilian invasion. A shore party digs in on the beach and ...

Invasion craft. Sicilian invasion. In an Allied invasion craft bound for the beach at Sicily, steel helmeted men huddle together. Ahead lies the enemy and, for some, death

Invasion craft. Sicilian invasion. In an Allied invasion craft bound f...

Prelude (Sicilian invasion). Troops of the 45th Infantry Division, aboard an LST during the closing days of the Sicilian campaign, get some sleep an hour before they are to make scheduled landings behind enemy lines

Prelude (Sicilian invasion). Troops of the 45th Infantry Division, abo...

Inferno. Sicilian invasion. An enemy bomber scored a direct hit on this LST setting her aflame when she was about fifty yards from shore and had just jockeyed into position to discharge her cargo. The deck above is loaded with trucks, other vehicles and men who clamber down ropes to escape the flames. Troops stranded in the belly of the craft wait to be taken off the ramp by amphibious "ducks," the seagoing invasion trucks

Inferno. Sicilian invasion. An enemy bomber scored a direct hit on thi...

The court, composed of two American majors and one Royal Air Force squadron leader, which tried Sicilian civilians for starting a riot resulting in the death of several townsfolk

The court, composed of two American majors and one Royal Air Force squ...

Lineup outside an Allied military government office in Sicily

Lineup outside an Allied military government office in Sicily

Fond relatives throng the Sicilian town square to greet their sons and sweethearts and uncles and nephews who were released from prison camps by the Allies

Fond relatives throng the Sicilian town square to greet their sons and...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Agrigento, Sicily. Ruins of Greek temples

Agrigento, Sicily. Ruins of Greek temples

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Fishing boats in the harbor

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Fishing boats in the harbor

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. People returning to their homes after the Germans departed

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. People returning to their homes after the ...

Small Sicilian girl, sister of the girl who tends the gates at the railroad crossing

Small Sicilian girl, sister of the girl who tends the gates at the rai...

Sicilian farmers working in a field

Sicilian farmers working in a field

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Fishing boats in the harbor

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Fishing boats in the harbor

Syracuse (vicinity), Sicily. Roman ruins

Syracuse (vicinity), Sicily. Roman ruins

A band concert for Sicilians and Allied troops

A band concert for Sicilians and Allied troops

A Sicilian workman helping repair the roads demolished by the Germans in retreat

A Sicilian workman helping repair the roads demolished by the Germans ...

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Fishermen preparing for run

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Fishermen preparing for run

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Notice to Sicilians of the labor regulations established by the Allied military government

Notice to Sicilians of the labor regulations established by the Allied...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Palermo, Sicily. One American soldier who found his relatives in Sicily was Vincent J. Orivello of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, eating ice-cream at a sidewalk cafe in Palermo with three of his cousins

Palermo, Sicily. One American soldier who found his relatives in Sicil...

Lt. General George Patton, instructing troops in Sicily

Lt. General George Patton, instructing troops in Sicily

Signal Corps photo. No. 175663, 7-11-43.

Palmero (vicinity), Sicily. A family repairing nets

Palmero (vicinity), Sicily. A family repairing nets

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Global Conference - Sicily

Global Conference - Sicily

Global Conference - Sicily - FDR Presidential Library 1943 - Video 331 - 8 min s. (791 ft), silent, b & w, 35mm FDR reviews troops with Gen. Eisenhower, later with Generals Patton and Clark. FDR eats lunch in c... more

Agrigento, Sicily. Ruins of Greek temples

Agrigento, Sicily. Ruins of Greek temples

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

The court, composed of two American majors and one Royal Air Force squadron leader, which tried Sicilian civilians for starting a riot resulting in the death of several townsfolk

The court, composed of two American majors and one Royal Air Force squ...

Annotation on original negative jacket. This image in a jacket marked "Killed" Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washi... more

A band concert for Sicilians and Allied troops

A band concert for Sicilians and Allied troops

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Sicilians drawing water from the town fountain

Sicilians drawing water from the town fountain

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Palermo, Sicily. Palermo Cathedral

Palermo, Sicily. Palermo Cathedral

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Syracuse (vicinity), Sicily. Cave called the "Ear of Dionysius"

Syracuse (vicinity), Sicily. Cave called the "Ear of Dionysius"

Soldiers leaving cathedral where they attended Mass

Soldiers leaving cathedral where they attended Mass

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. People returning to their homes after the departure of the Germans

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. People returning to their homes after the ...

Sicilian workmen breaking stone to be used in repairing the roads demolished by the Germans in retreat

Sicilian workmen breaking stone to be used in repairing the roads demo...

Sicilians drawing water from the town fountain

Sicilians drawing water from the town fountain

The court, composed of two American majors and one British Royal Air Force squadron leader, which tried Sicilian civilians for starting a riot resulting in the death of several townsfolk

The court, composed of two American majors and one British Royal Air F...

During the first few days after the Germans had been driven from Sicily, the people were obliged to live in makeshift homes, such as this ancient Roman amphitheatre. Now they are returning to their own homes, rebuilding, refurbishing, and starting life anew

During the first few days after the Germans had been driven from Sicil...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. Allied soldiers in a jeep driving along a Sicilian road

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. Allied soldiers in a jeep driving along a ...

Title and other information from print in lot. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Allied soldiers and Sicilian civilians listening to a band concert

Allied soldiers and Sicilian civilians listening to a band concert

Notice of labor regulations established by the Allied military government for Sicilians

Notice of labor regulations established by the Allied military governm...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Sicilian prisoners of war enroute to their homes

Sicilian prisoners of war enroute to their homes

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Repairing Sicilian roads. The Germans in retreat demolished most of the main highways. Allied military is working around the clock in an effort to repair them

Repairing Sicilian roads. The Germans in retreat demolished most of th...

Annotation on original negative jacket. This image in a jacket marked "Killed" Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washi... more

Italian national police guarding a gateway in Sicily

Italian national police guarding a gateway in Sicily

Flour was one item which was short in Sicily. An Allied military government truck making a big delivery to a local bakery. The flour was brought to the island by an Italian schooner in accordance with a policy of letting the Sicilians help themselves wherever possible

Flour was one item which was short in Sicily. An Allied military gover...

An art handed down from father to son is weaving fish nets. Once again this Sicilian sets up his business (a chair and a net stand) in the warm sun. British soldiers are interested onlookers

An art handed down from father to son is weaving fish nets. Once again...

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. People returning to their homes after the Germans left

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. People returning to their homes after the ...

A Sicilian reading the new labor law established by the Allied military government

A Sicilian reading the new labor law established by the Allied militar...

Syracuse (vicinity), Sicily. The arena with the day's washing spread out to dry

Syracuse (vicinity), Sicily. The arena with the day's washing spread o...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Palmero, Sicily. American soldiers at the cloisters of Monreale

Palmero, Sicily. American soldiers at the cloisters of Monreale

Title and other information from caption card. Title and other information from print in microfilmed lot. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944... more

The 2,000-year-old Sicilian state library, parts of which was badly bombed. (Sicily)

The 2,000-year-old Sicilian state library, parts of which was badly bo...

Sicilian farmers working in a field

Sicilian farmers working in a field

Gateway in Sicily, with Italian national police on guard

Gateway in Sicily, with Italian national police on guard

After United Nation troops drove out the Germans and the Allied military government set up a new code of human liberty, Sicilians once again enjoyed their holidays without fear of Nazi reprisals

After United Nation troops drove out the Germans and the Allied milita...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

[Tired and foot-weary from his march to Brolo, Sicily, during the invasion of Sicily, Sgt. Norwood Dorman, Benson, North Carolina, falls into the pose of the statue in this memorial to the Italian soldier of World War I] / photo by U.S. Army Signal Corps.

[Tired and foot-weary from his march to Brolo, Sicily, during the inva...

Messina, Sicily. Truck loaded with American white flour received via Italian schooner

Messina, Sicily. Truck loaded with American white flour received via I...

Palermo, Sicily. Allied soldiers listening to concert given for them by Palermo symphony orchestra and local vocal artists

Palermo, Sicily. Allied soldiers listening to concert given for them b...

An Italian policeman passing the time of day with a British soldier in Sicily

An Italian policeman passing the time of day with a British soldier in...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Catania, Sicily. Rebuilding the city. Wages comparable with peacetime are being paid by the Allied government. This money is charged against the Italian government, and will be paid later

Catania, Sicily. Rebuilding the city. Wages comparable with peacetime ...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Repairing Sicilian roads demolished by the Germans in retreat

Repairing Sicilian roads demolished by the Germans in retreat

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Sicilian prisoners of war, enroute to their homes, in the square of a small village exchanging greetings with the townfolk

Sicilian prisoners of war, enroute to their homes, in the square of a ...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Palermo, Sicily. Some of the artists and guests at the concert given by the Palermo symphony orchestra for the allied soldiers

Palermo, Sicily. Some of the artists and guests at the concert given b...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Castel Mola (vicinity). Castle on mountain peak over-looking Taormina and the sea. One of the peacetime tourist attractions visited by the British Eighth Army on a day off. Sicily

Castel Mola (vicinity). Castle on mountain peak over-looking Taormina ...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Palermo, Sicily. Soldiers listening to concert given for them by Palermo symphony orchestra and local vocal artists

Palermo, Sicily. Soldiers listening to concert given for them by Paler...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Palermo, Sicily. Allied soldiers and local girls at concert given by the Palermo symphony orchestra

Palermo, Sicily. Allied soldiers and local girls at concert given by t...

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. Allied soldiers in a jeep driving along a Sicilian road

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. Allied soldiers in a jeep driving along a ...

Sicilian workmen breaking stone to be used in repairing the roads demolished by the Germans in retreat

Sicilian workmen breaking stone to be used in repairing the roads demo...

Cattle passing a wrecked tank. The Allied military government is giving Sicilian farmers every aid possible so that they can till their farms once again

Cattle passing a wrecked tank. The Allied military government is givin...

The court, composed of two American majors and one British Royal Air Force squadron leader, which tried Sicilian civilians for starting a riot resulting in the death of several townsfolk

The court, composed of two American majors and one British Royal Air F...

When the Germans fled Sicily they dynamited every bridge and road juction they had time to. But Allied army engineers and Sicilian workers are repairing the arteries so that normal traffic may flow once again over the island

When the Germans fled Sicily they dynamited every bridge and road juct...

Flying through an intense barrage of anti-aircraft fire, U.S. Army Air Forces Flying Fortresses B-17s fought off an attacking formation of enemy planes and accomplished their mission, which was to bomb shipping and harbor installations at Palermo, Sicily. A bomb can be seen on its way, while bursts from preceding bombs have wreaked destruction below

Flying through an intense barrage of anti-aircraft fire, U.S. Army Air...

Messina, Sicily. Unloading American white flour from an Italian schooner

Messina, Sicily. Unloading American white flour from an Italian schoon...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Messina, Sicily. Sicilian with a bag of white flour

Messina, Sicily. Sicilian with a bag of white flour

Palermo, Sicily. Allied soldiers listening to concert given for them by Palermo symphony orchestra and local vocal artists

Palermo, Sicily. Allied soldiers listening to concert given for them b...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Castel Mola (vicinity), Sicily. A mountain and sea view to be seen from the castle. One of the peacetime attractions visited by the British Eighth Army on their day off

Castel Mola (vicinity), Sicily. A mountain and sea view to be seen fro...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. People returning to their homes after the Germans had gone

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. People returning to their homes after the ...

Italian national police guarding a gateway in Sicily

Italian national police guarding a gateway in Sicily

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

A Sicilian boy carrying a huge squash produced on one of the farms

A Sicilian boy carrying a huge squash produced on one of the farms

A singer, who with the symphony orchestra, helped put on a radio broadcast for the local people. Palermo, Sicily

A singer, who with the symphony orchestra, helped put on a radio broad...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. A sign on the road to Messina

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. A sign on the road to Messina

Syracuse (vicinity), Sicily. Roman ruins

Syracuse (vicinity), Sicily. Roman ruins

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Palermo, Sicily. Some of the musicians who helped furnish the entertainment at the concert given by the Palermo symphony orchestra for the Allied soldiers

Palermo, Sicily. Some of the musicians who helped furnish the entertai...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. A sign on the road to Messina

Messina (vicinity), Sicily. A sign on the road to Messina

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Castel Mola (vicinity), Sicily. Sicilian boys waiting to welcome soldier

Castel Mola (vicinity), Sicily. Sicilian boys waiting to welcome soldi...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

A young couple on the beach in Sicily. The people are gradually returning to normal recreations

A young couple on the beach in Sicily. The people are gradually return...

Fond relatives throng the Sicilian town square to greet their sons and sweethearts and uncles and nephews who were released from prison camps by the Allies

Fond relatives throng the Sicilian town square to greet their sons and...

A band concert for Sicilians and Allied troops

A band concert for Sicilians and Allied troops

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Messina, Sicily. Unloading American white flour from an Italian schooner to help relieve the shortage here

Messina, Sicily. Unloading American white flour from an Italian schoon...

Palermo, Sicily. An American soldier viewing the ancient grandeur of Monreale Cathedral

Palermo, Sicily. An American soldier viewing the ancient grandeur of M...

Every day after the Germans were driven out of Sicily country folk reappeared from their hill hideouts and returned to their homes

Every day after the Germans were driven out of Sicily country folk rea...

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Holding a net with the toes while sewing it

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Holding a net with the toes while sewing i...

Every day after the Germans were driven out of Sicily country folk reappeared from their hill hideouts and returned to their homes

Every day after the Germans were driven out of Sicily country folk rea...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Palermo, Sicily. Some of the girls who helped furnish the entertainment at the concert given by the symphony orchestra for the Allied soldiers

Palermo, Sicily. Some of the girls who helped furnish the entertainmen...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Sicilian girl who tends the gates at the railroad crossing

Sicilian girl who tends the gates at the railroad crossing

A Sicilian farmer riding in a farm cart

A Sicilian farmer riding in a farm cart

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Messina, Sicily. Workmen clearing the streets

Messina, Sicily. Workmen clearing the streets

Members of the 64th Squadron of the 57th Fighter Group, which took part in the aerial victory over the Sicilian straits on April 18, in which seventy-four enemy planes were destroyed

Members of the 64th Squadron of the 57th Fighter Group, which took par...

Repairing Sicilian roads demolished by the Germans in retreat

Repairing Sicilian roads demolished by the Germans in retreat

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Fishermen preparing for run

Palermo (vicinity), Sicily. Fishermen preparing for run

The 2,000 year-old Sicilian state library suffered some damage when the Germans were driven from Sicily but a special section of the Allied military government is working to preserve and renovate precious old volumes. This is one section which is still intact and well preserved

The 2,000 year-old Sicilian state library suffered some damage when th...

Catania, Sicily. Looking at photos and reading the news of life in Allied countries. This is of particular interest to Sicilians because it had been denied them during the Fascist years

Catania, Sicily. Looking at photos and reading the news of life in All...

Sicilian prisoners of war, enroute to their homes, in the square of a small village exchanging greetings with the townfolk

Sicilian prisoners of war, enroute to their homes, in the square of a ...

Catania, Sicily. Looking at photos and reading the news of life in Allied countries. This is of particular interest to Sicilians because it had been denied them during the Fascist years

Catania, Sicily. Looking at photos and reading the news of life in All...

Title and other information from caption card. Transfer; United States. Office of War Information. Overseas Picture Division. Washington Division; 1944. More information about the FSA/OWI Collection is availabl... more