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Meanwhile there was the dull routine of garrison duty for the platoon, first in a proper town and then in a re over, uniforms had to be proper, boots spit-shined, ties knotted just so But everyone got three hots and a cot, and it beat getting shot at

Mussolini, that strutting fool, was overthrown by his own people There was a celebration—we allalcoholic to mark the occasion And for about a day we had the illusion that the whole thing h the boot, pushed aside the few Italian Resistance fighters, and effectively erous than it had been when it was only ill-equipped, half-starved, and completely despondent Italians

Rio got her first Purple Heart

Frangie Marr spent those weeks enduring two ot a Purple Heart too

And Rainy Schulterer patrol, she made her way to a picturesque little town outside Rome to await the invasion

We were all awaiting the invasion, and somehoe had convinced ourselves Italy would be easy

Easy

I want to putof it And it is with a sense of et on with telling that story We are perhaps halfway through hs and fun too

Yes, there was fun sometimes Even in Italy

Two more lines before I reach the botto sketchy, and I’ll need to change the ribbon in the typewriter

And then, Gentle Reader, I will tell you about Italy

Bloody, goddamned Italy

PART III

OPERATION AVALANCHE

THE INVASION OF ITALY