| The VI Corps amphibious assault at Anzio on January 22, 1944, showed that the United States Army had learned some hard lessons in the preceding 2 landings at Sicily and Salerno; and this time the 1st tank landed only 40 minutes after the 1st rifleman. All of the beaches in the American Zone would require engineering work — such as laying steel mats — to get armored vehicles inland. A sandbar offshore blocked access by Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs), which would require use of pontoons. The lessons of Salerno evidently were fresh enough that this time ways were found to get the infantry tank support from the start using Landing Craft Tanks (LCTs), which could land at those spots. H-hour was at 0200 hours on January 22. The amphibious operation was effective, and the assault troops were astonished to find that there was no enemy to meet them. The operation had caught the Germans completely by surprise. A few Nazi German antiaircraft batteries on the coast fired several rounds, but only 2 battered battalions from the 29th Panzergrenadier Division were anywhere near Anzio.[xxii] By 0240 Hours, the 751st Tank Battalion had A Company on land, with a platoon moving to support each of the 3 regimental combat teams of the 3rd Infantry Division. B Company and the mortar platoon were ashore by 0700 Hours, and the rest of the 751st Tank Battalion arrived shortly after 1200 Hours. The 1st tank-backed patrols from the 1st Fallschirm-Panzer Division Hermann Goering, rushing to contain the landing zone, appeared at the Mussolini Canal at about 1800 hours but were driven off. The American tankers worked with the GIs against German infantry elements through January 24. USS LST-77 was laid down at Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Company of Indiana, and launched into the Ohio River on April 21, 1943. Commissioned into the United States Navy on July 3, 1943, USS LST-77 was under the command of Lieutenant Junior Grade Anthony Kohout Junior (May 25, 1909 – August 24, 2002), United States Naval Reserve. USS LST-77 sailed eastbound with Convoy UGS-37, which came under air attack on April 11, 1944, that wrecked USS Holder (DE-401), earning her 1st battle star. USS LST-77 arrived in Bizerte, Tunisia at 1855 Hours on April 13, 1944. Arriving in Naples on August 26, USS LST-77 transited to Anzio on August 27. The ship was beached at 0858 Hours and dropped her stern anchor at 0912 Hours. Lines were secure at 1010 Hours and the bow doors were opened. The tanks and cargo were unloaded by 1155 Hours. The ship cast off at 1458 Hours for Pozzuoli, Italy. Part of the landing force for Operation Dragoon, USS LST-77 secured a battle star for the landings in Southern France. The ship was transferred to the United Kingdom Royal Navy and became HMS LST-77 on December 24, 1944. She joined the 11th Flotilla in the Adriatic. Flying the Union Jack, she visited Piraeus, Trieste, Patras, Previzia, Ancona and Taranto. She drydocked in October 1945. Returned to the United States Navy on May 12, 1946, she was struck from the Naval Register on June 19, 1946. James A. Hughes (October 30, 1904 – September 7, 1965) Incorporated of New York, New York purchased the hulk for scrapping on November 7, 1947. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0655.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.77 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 5630 x 4552 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | April 27, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Anzio |
| State or Province | Lazio |
| Country | Italy |
| Archive | Naval History and Heritage Command |
| Record Number | SC 189668 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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