| Original German caption: “The paratroopers’ attack, armed with self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, is underway. The first captured Americans are being brought to the assembly points behind the front.” Original United States press caption: “Germans say these are American prisoners – The caption accompanying this picture of enemy origin, received from Lisbon, says it shows “German parachuters bringing in American prisoners” in the Nettuno bridgehead area of Italy. ‘Note antiaircraft gun on caterpillar wheels in background, used by Germans during their advance against Allied positions,’ the caption adds.” American Prisoners of War, with hands raised, pass a Sonderkraftfahrzeug 7/2 Flak 37 millimeter (1.45 inch) antiaircraft half track. The United States Army 6615th Ranger Force, commanded by Colonel William O. Darby (February 8, 1911 – April 30, 1945), was detailed to support an attack by the 3rd Infantry Division on January 30, 1944, to break out of the Anzio-Nettuno beachhead at Cisterna. Allied Intelligence did not recognize that substantial Nazi German reinforcements had arrived. 1.Fallschirmjäger-Division and Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1.Hermann Göring took up positions around Cisterna, creating a deadly ambush. Of the 767 Rangers that attacked Cisterna, only 6 returned to Allied lines. The Rangers were compelled to cross open ground to take Cisterna, which exposed them to machine gun, artillery, and mortar fire. The American armored vehicles were quickly knocked out. The Nazi Germans were in front of the town, not behind it. Nazi German tanks and armored fighting vehicles massacred the Rangers, who successfully dispatched 15 of the 17 panzers that overran their position with bazookas, sticky bombs, and grenades. The Rangers lacked adequate antitank weapons and fought until they ran out of ammunition. The Nazi Germans massacred Prisoners of War to compel others to surrender, and placed Prisoners in front of their tanks to compel Americans to give up. 761 Rangers were killed or captured, a loss of 99 percent. The Nazi Germans suffered high casualties as well, 188 killed, 465 wounded, and 443 missing. 400 dead Nazis were found on the battlefield. Darby cried when he learned of the losses of the Ranger battalions. He essentially lost the bulk of the 6615th Ranger Force; the few survivors were folded into the 1st Special Service Force. Later examinations of the battle determined that faulty intelligence from the 3rd Infantry Division contributed to the disaster. If the attack had occurred 24 hours in advance, it probably would have succeeded. The beachhead at Anzio was stalemated for the time being. United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill (November 30, 1874 – January 24, 1965), who advocated for attacking the “soft underbelly” of Italy, was frustrated by stalemate by the Allied landings at Anzio, Italy: “I had hoped we were hurling a wildcat into the shore, but all we got was a stranded whale.” The Nazi Germans made much propaganda opportunity of marching the 400 Prisoners of War through the streets of Rome. Kriegsberichter (“War Reporter”) Wilhelm Beuschel (???? – ????) took photos of Monte Cassino and Italy. He worked for Presse Bild Zeitung. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0668.jpg |
| Image Size | 160.06 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1608 x 1142 |
| Photographer | Wilhelm Beuschel |
| Photographer Title | Kriegsberichter |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | January 30, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Cisterna |
| State or Province | Lazio |
| Country | Italy |
| Archive | Presse Bild Zeitung |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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