Operation Avalanche was the codename for the combined US and British landings on the southwest coast of Italy on 9 September 1943 as part of the Allied effort in the Mediterranean Theater during World War II. The forces landed consisted of the US Fifth Army under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark. The Fifth Army was made up of the British X Corps, which landed south of the town of Salerno, and the US VI Corps, which landed at the town of Paestum.

The landings were carried out by combined forces of the US Navy and Royal Navy.

Naval losses: 2 destroyers, 1 minesweeper, 1 tug, 1 hospital ship

Order of battle

Western Naval Task Force (Task Force 80) Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, USNMorison, pp. 391-394 Embarking US Fifth Army (Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark, USA)   1 amphibious force flagship: USS Ancon   2 anti-aircraft/fighter director ships: HMS Ulster Queen, HMS Palomares   1 submarine: HMS Shakespeare

Northern Landing Force (Task Force 85) Commodore G.N. Oliver, RN Embarking British X Corps (Lt. Gen. Richard McCreery, BA) Combat vessels   4 light cruisers: HMS Mauritius, HMS Uganda, HMS Orion, HMS Delhi   1 monitor: HMS Roberts 18 destroyers: 17 British, 1 Greek Amphibious assault vessels   2 amphibious force flagships: HMS Hilary, USS Biscayne 13 transports and LSIs 90 LSTs: 45 American, 45 British 84 LCTs: 24 American, 60 British (5 sunk) 96 LCI(L)s: 48 American, 48 British Auxiliaries   7 minesweepers   4 tugs (1 sunk by air attack 13 September) 23 subchasers/wooden hull 27 minecraft 32 motor launches 13 trawlers

Southern Landing Force (Task Force 81) Rear Adm. John L. Hall, Jr., USN

Embarking US VI Corps (Maj. Gen. Ernest J. Dawley, USA) Fire Support Group (TG 81.5) Rear Admiral Lyal A. Davidson   4 light cruisers: USS Philadelphia, USS Savannah, USS Boise, USS Brooklyn   1 monitor: HMS Abercrombie   4 destroyers (1 sunk by submarine 12 October) Screen (TG 81.6) Capt. Charles Wellborn 12 destroyers (1 sunk by torpedo boat 10 September) Transport Group (TG 81.2) Capt. C.D. Edgar 19 transports: 14 American, 5 British   3 LSTs: all British   6 scout boats Landing Craft Group (TG 81.3) Capt. F.M. Adams 27 LSTs: 18 American, 9 British 32 LCIs: 26 American, 6 British   6 LCTs: all American Control Group (TG 81.7) Cmdr. R.D. Lowther, USNR   8 subchasers (steel hull), 4 LCSs TG 81.8 – Minesweeper Group Cmdr. A.H. Richards   9 minesweepers (1 sunk by submarine 25 September) 12 motor minesweepers TG 81.9 – Salvage Group Lt. V.C. Kyllberg   2 tugs TG 80.2 – Picket Group Lt. Cmdr. S.M. Barnes 16 PTs TG 80.3 – Diversion Group Capt. C.L. Andrews   1 destroyer: USS Knight   7 torpedo boats: 7 British MTBs, 1 American PT   4 subchasers (wooden hull)   6 Motor Launches 10 air/sea rescue craft

Support Carrier Force (Task Force 88)

Rear Admiral Sir Philip L. Vian, RN   1 light carrier:   4 escort carriers: , , ,   3 light cruisers: , ,   9 destroyers: 7 British, 2 Polish

Covering forces 2 fleet carriers (Rear Admiral Clement Moody, RN)

28 Grumman Martlet fighters 10 Supermarine Seafire fighters 12 Fairey Barracuda torpedo bombers

28 Grumman Martlet fighters   5 Supermarine Seafire fighters 12 Fairey Albacore torpedo bombers Force "H" (Vice Admiral Sir Algernon Willis, RN)   4 battleships: , , , Screen 20 destroyers: 16 British, 1 Polish, 2 Dutch, 1 French Auxiliaries   3 hospital ships: (sunk by air attack 13 September), ,

Notes

References

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