From THE WAR Episode 3:
Some 7,000 Allied personnel were killed during the Anzio campaign, 36,000 more were wounded or missing – and another 44,000 were classified as “non-battle casualties,” victims of frostbite and trench foot, shell shock and madness. Axis Sally, the Nazi radio propagandist, began calling Anzio “the largest self-supporting prisoner of war camp in the world.” And German aircraft littered the beach with leaflets, urging Allied solders to surrender. “The beachhead,” they said, “has become a death’s head.”
MUSIC: Eskimos, Four Characteristic Pieces, Op. 64 / Exiles, Amy Beach
NARRATOR: On the front line with the 3rd Infantry Division, Babe Ciarlo saw all of it, took part in some of it, but never said a word about any of it in his letters home.
VOICE: March 27, 1944. I just got through with chow. We are having beautiful weather here and I hope it’s the same way there, so you could take the babies out every afternoon.
Love,
Babe
(Bobby Cannavale)
THOMAS CIARLO (Brother): He never mentioned a word about what he was doing, where he was. You couldn’t say much about where you were anyway. But it was always the upside. “I could only write a few lines right now because I’m, I’m going to chow and I don’t have time.” This is in the heat of the battle and he’s going to chow line. I mean, there’s no such thing as a chow line when you’re in… But you don’t realize at the time, until years later, you get a little smarter and you go, “Geez, you know, how can you be going to a chow line when you’re in the middle of a battle or your in a foxhole or someplace?” But he always had that upbeat outlook about him.
VOICE: April 14 , 1944. I am in the very best of health and I hope to hear the same from all of you always. Well, things here are moving pretty smooth and the only thing I do is eat and sleep and if I keep it up much longer I’ll be like a barrel. Well, take care of yourselves and keep those stoves roaring because I’ll be doing a lot of eating when I get home.
Love,
Babe
(Bobby Cannavale)
NARRATOR: By the end of April, the Allied command was determined to break the stalemate and resume its drive toward Rome. Babe’s division had finally been pulled back to rest – and to get ready for the big battle to come.
VOICE: April 30, 1944. Dear Mom and Family: This afternoon I might go swimming in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The salt water will do me good. Last night I received about ten letters. I’m glad to hear that the house was
filled with flowers for Mother’s Day and that you all got a gift for Mom. Don’t worry about my money situation, because there isn’t anything to spend it on here in Anzio. Well, I had my dinner and guess what, I had – pork chops, about a dozen of them. I’m getting to be a chow hound.
Love,
Babe
(Bobby Cannavale)
NEWSREEL: Patrol Action at Anzio. The Allies are stalled at Anzio, but patrol clashes are frequent here’s a German outpost…
THOMAS CIARLO: You see, probably on the newsreel or you read about it in the paper about different battles. But you don’t actually put Babe in that position because he’s always telling you how everything is fine, everything is no problem. At one point, as a matter of fact, my mother had my aunt write a letter in Italian that she had sent to Babe. “When you get to Rome, when you get to Italy, we have relatives over there. When you get there, show them these letters and they’ll treat you well,” and everything else, you know. And at the time, you think, “Well, yeah, he’s going to be going to Italy. He’s going to go to Rome and he’s going to see his relatives.” Can you imagine that? It’s so unreal.
MUSIC: It’s Been a Long, Long Time, Jacqueline Schwab
VOICE: May 9, 1944. I’m glad that you are going down to the beach with the babies and I hope Mom goes down with you because it’ll do all of you good. I won’t be with you this year, but I’ll guarantee you I’ll be there next summer. That’s a date. I’m all right. Nothing ever happens here. I guess it’s like Waterbury, dead.
Love,
Babe
(Bobby Cannavale)
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