Customer Reviews

The Rock Of Anzio: From Sicily To Dachau, A History Of The U.s. 45th Infantry Division

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I served through the eight campaigns the Forty-Fifth "The 45th Division "Thunderbird" Infantry Division is credited with an I heartily agree with statement by Colonel Anse H. "Eddie" Speairs (Ret) formerly of C Company, 157th Infantry Regiment that, "No Marine has more love for the corps than we have for the 45th." I was one of the many Thunderbird veterans interviewed by Flint Whitlock by phone and letter and am thankful he was there to record our history. Tom Clancy wrote in one of his books, "If it isn't written down it didn't happen." I'm forever thankful Flint Whitlock "made it happen." the 45th Division was populated by many American Indians from more then twenty tribes. America should be proud of them - they were great. I served with A Battery 160th Field Artillery and was awarded a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts.

My late grandfather was a Thunderbird (157th rgmt, M co), and seldom talked of his World War Two days. After reading this book, I now know why. I can only imagine what it must have been like to live for days on end in a wet foxhole, always cold and miserable. Only have the faintest idea of what horrors he saw when Dachau was liberated. The stories of those days were never told by him. As with many men of his generation, he did not want to remember those terrible events of nearly sixty years ago. _The Rock of Anzio_ tells the story that my grandfather was never able to tell, a story that should be told.

I really enjoyed this book. It moved so well, and kept my interest from cover to cover. I have read many unit histories, and this work is the most complete. It cover the unit from activation, through all of its battles. Anzio and Dachau must get the highest praise. Anzio is written so well, I can hardly see how the US prevailed in that battle. I also never knew of the conflict between the Thunderbirds (45th ID) and the Rainbows (42nd ID), over the liberation of the Dachau Concentration camp (even having visited it). The author does a great job, buy this book!

My father was a member of the 45th 180th Co E from North Africa to "somewhere outside of Rome" where an artillery shell took him out. He never talked much about it and took most of his personal stories with him this past January. This book gave me a chance of closure on this as I finally got to know the reason for the silence. Thank you to the author and this web site for making this available.

The Rock of Anzio chronicles the WW II experience of the 45th Division, a national guard unit primarily from OK, TX, and NM. This covers prewar status, the callup to federal duty, and its' prodigious battle action in Sicily, Italy including Anzio, France, and Germany. Personal remembrances of former thunderbirds (the divisions' nickname) are widely used as well as the divisional history. Far from being a dry accounting of the divisions' exploits, this book is very easily read, with many small details well covered as well as the overall strategic situation the division was facing at that time. I personally wasn't aware of the critical defense of Anzio by the thunderbirds. Battle actions are well written and exciting to read. I would recommend this book to anyone with a special interest in the Italian campaign and it is a excellent companion book to Edwin Hoyt's Backwater War.

This fine book tells the story of the 45th infantry division in World War II. It does not glorify the war but simply tells the tale. It is well researched with both in-person interviews and historical records.

The book retells the great suffering of the men while in Italy, and near-disasters of the landings at Salerno and Anzio.

Highly recommended for those interested in WWII history and in the life of the infantry soldier. This book concentrates on the Thunderbirds of the 45th Infantry Division. For a broader look at much of the same subject matter, I recommend War in the Mediterranean by Carlo D'Este.

I read the book for insight into the experiences of an uncle who served with the 180th. The interviews with men who shared those experiences provide a rich context understanding this fraction of my uncle's life. I find myself wondering why the movies did not as loudly proclaim the story of Anzio or the valor of those who fought on that shore. The events at the capture of Dachau particularly help me understand the grim truths.

Good service, good price, the used book look new.
My uncle was with the 45th and he said the author was historically correct in his description of the men and battles in which the 45th fought. I found the book not only interesting but a keepsake for me and my family. I appreciate this indepth study of this gallant group of men.

My father-in-law was in the 45th from North Africa until Munich (179th, Company D). The personal stories detailed throughout the reading allow the reader a brief glimpse of what the soldiers in the 45th endured in fighting for our country. It provides a great chronicle of the Southern European battle theater in WWII. I couldn't put it down until I was finished.

Being a former National Guard officer and having visited the concentration camp in Dachau in a trip through Europe, I was interested in this book. The scene when the soldiers get to the Dachau concentration camp was unforgettable. This event makes us all realize how important it was to win this war against fascist and extremely racist dictators.

Whitlock does an excellent job in trying to report the facts without any moral judgements in all parts of the book. Whitlock also brings the reader to see the mistakes as well as the successes and gives his reasons. We see the events of Anzio from the level of generals, and other events from the reactions of lower level officers and enlistedmen. This book is a true testament to the sacrifice of Guard soldiers in World War II. I wish there were more books like this one on Guard units in World War II. This is an excellent book to read for the amateur military historian.