Members of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and its components visited various battlefields throughout Italy to conduct a historical study of the WWII Italian Campaign March 23-27, 2010.

The group's study, known as a staff ride, is a historical analysis of a terrain's effects on an action.

Thirty staff members studied the phased campaign of the U.S. 5th Army as it fought its way from the beaches of Salerno, south of Naples, up the Liri Valley to Monte Cassino and the formidable Gustav Line. U.S. Africa Command planners conducted the staff ride for the purpose of gaining a unique appreciation of campaign design.

The staff ride included a visit and study of seven battle sites in the order in which they occurred during 5th Army operations. The first battle site visited was Monte Lungo and the Mignano Gap. The gap contained the main avenue of approach that led into the mouth of the Liri Valley, the gateway to Rome. Adjacent to the Mignano Gap is San Pietro Infine, where staff ride participants examined how the U.S. Army 36th Infantry Division, also known as the Texas Division, seized key terrain.

“When you stand here in the town of San Pietro Infine and see the open fields of fire that the Germans possessed, I can’t imagine how the 36th Division accomplished their mission in the face of such adversity,” said Charlie Kaune, U.S. Africa Command Contingency Plans.

The difficult terrain of Mignano Gap and San Pietro were only tastes of things to come for the Allies.

Moving from the Mignano Gap, participants then followed 5th Army to the Gustav Line - a staunch defensive line built by the Germans that spanned from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Adriatic Sea. The Germans called the Gustav Line a “string of pearls anchored by Monte Cassino.” The Rapido River formed part of the Gustav Line, acting as a natural moat, protecting Monte Cassino. The Allies conducted repeated attempts to cross the Rapido River at different points on the river.

“Initial failures were due to lack of coordination between maneuver and supporting forces, such as the engineers,” said Craig Linderman, a planner and military history enthusiast assigned to Naval Forces Africa. “The Allies were only successful when they learned how to integrate forces and press the enemy across a broad front.”

Monte Cassino anchored the Gustav Line. Monte Cassino was identified by the Germans and Allies as key terrain because of the outstanding observation it provided over the entrance to the Liri Valley. From Monte Cassino, one can see every road and river crossing at the mouth of the Liri Valley. Increasing the complexity of the Monte Cassino terrain was the Benedictine monastery built on top of it. The monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order of monks, was built around 529.

To maximize the terrain appreciation that Monte Cassino afforded the Germans, staff ride participants perched themselves on Hill 593, a hill located above the monastery.

“From this position, you can easily visualize why the Germans and Allies viewed this area as key terrain,” said Lieutenant Colonel Dave Mackenzie, a planner with Air Forces Africa.

However, even though Monte Cassino and the monastery dominated the terrain, planners learned to put the terrain and monastery in context of the overall Allied campaign.

“One of the important things I learned is that being an operational-level planner means keeping an operational perspective and not getting unduly fixated on terrain,” said Master Sergeant Brian Ivers, a planner with Marine Forces Africa.

From the battle site at Monte Cassino, the group then travelled south of the Liri Valley to battle sites at Minturno, Santa Maria Infante, and the Ausonia Gap to study where the Gustav Line was first penetrated by the Allies.

The staff ride concept is not new. The push to conduct a ride that included members from across the command was motivated by a desire to continue to educate U.S. Africa Command planners, capture their imaginations, and inspire creative, bold planning. Major General Richard Sherlock, Director, U.S. Africa Command Strategy, Plans, and Programs, attended one full day of the staff ride, underscoring the importance of staff member professional education.

“The planning challenges facing USAFRICOM are diverse and complex. Our planners need to know how to critically think through complex planning problems,” said Sherlock. “Furthermore, the environment we operate in requires close collaboration, not just between military services, but also applicable U.S. government agencies, our allies, and partner nations. Too often we only know our teammates by their email address. The staff ride environment provides USAFRICOM planners from across the command and inter-agency the opportunity to meet face-to-face and develop professional relationships."

Staff ride participants echoed Sherlock’s intent.

“I’ve worked several planning problems with the other command and component planners via video-teleconference and other electronic means,” said Major Steve Berger, U.S. Army Africa. “The staff ride provided the opportunity to discuss, argue, and critically assess a planning problem with my peers, face-to-face, in an extremely unique environment. I think the lessons learned from the staff ride and the relationships built will be sustained."

All participants, regardless of their level of planning expertise, valued the education gained through the staff ride experience.


“This was my first staff ride, but hopefully not my last,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kyon Yi, a crisis action planner. U.S. Africa Command Plans leadership supports staff rides and is already making plans for a fall 2010 staff ride opportunity.