Battle of Gela (1943)

The amphibious Battle of Gela was the opening engagement of the American portion of the Allied Invasion of Sicily during World War II. United States Navy ships landed United States Army troops along the eastern end of the south coast of Sicily; and withstood attacks by Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica aircraft while defending the beachhead against German tanks and Italian tanks of the Livorno Division until the Army captured the Ponte Olivo Airfield for use by United States Army Air Forces planes. The battle convinced United States Army officers of the value of naval artillery support, and revealed problems coordinating air support from autonomous air forces during amphibious operations.

Battle of Gela (1943)
Part of the Allied invasion of Sicily in the Mediterranean theatre of World War II

Brooklyn-class cruisers Boise (pictured) and her sister ship Savannah, demonstrated the effectiveness of naval gunfire against tanks.
Date10–12 July 1943
Location
Gela, Sicily
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
 United States
 United Kingdom		  Italy
 Germany
Commanders and leaders
Henry Kent Hewitt
George S. Patton
Terry de la Mesa Allen Sr.
Hugh Joseph Gaffey
Charles Leslie Keerans Jr. †		 Alfredo Guzzoni
Arnaldo Rabellino  (POW)
Domenico Chirieleison
Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin
Paul Conrath
Units involved

Gela beachead:

Naval support:

  • USS Savannah
  • USS Boise
  • HMS Abercrombie
  • USS Shubrick
  • USS Jeffers
  • USS Maddox
  • USS Butler
  • USS Glennon

Gela beachead:

  • Italian XVIII Coastal Brigade
    • 429th Coastal Battalion

North of Gela:

Air support:

  • Luftflotte 2
  • 3rd Air Fleet
  • 4th Air Fleet
Casualties and losses
U.S.:
2,300 casualties
1 destroyer sunk		 Italian:
3,350 killed
5,000 wounded
2,000 prisoners
German:
630 killed, wounded, and prisoners
14 tanks
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