The 10th was the only American mountain division to be raised in World
War II, and still has a high profile, being involved in operations from
Iraq to Somalia and from Haiti to Afghanistan. It did not arrive in
Europe until winter 1944/45, but then fought hard in the harsh
mountainous terrain of Northern Italy until VE-Day five months later,
losing c. 1,000 men killed and c. 3,000 wounded. Fighting in a series of
battles in the Po Valley that included an amphibious assault across Lake
Garda, the division made a key contribution to Allied victory in Europe.
The division was special in a number of ways. Its personnel were
selected for physical fitness and experience in winter sports,
mountaineering, and hunting, unlike the rest of the infantry. Since
winter sports were at that time the preserve of the wealthy, the
division's educational level was as unusually high as its fitness. It
was highly trained in mountain and winter warfare, including the use of
skis and snowshoes, while its organization, field clothing, and some
personal equipment also differed from that of the usual infantry
division. The division made extensive use of pack-mules, and its
reconnaissance unit was horse-mounted, conducting the last horse-mounted
charge in US history in April 1945.
Featuring full-color artwork and rare photographs, this is the gripping
story of the US Army's only mountain division in action during the
closing months of World War II.
