Beyond the Blue Beach


Paestum, Italy, September 9th, 1943: At one minute past midnight, loud speakers on the Allied transports
called the boat teams to their stations. Before them lay the beaches of Salerno. The 141st and 142nd 
Infantry Regiments of the U.S. 36th Division would be first ashore, in six waves at the Paestum beaches.
The landings went without serious hitch, although tanks of the 16th Panzer, charged with defenses of the 
area, in scattered positions did make it difficult for some to reach their initial objectives. On "Blue 
Beach", the 141st had come ashore in good order and were quickly setting up defensive positions on the
coastal plain. But the enemy was not idle. Shortly after 0700, three and a half hours after the initial
assault had touched shore, a number of Mk IV's probed the left flank of the 141st. Repulsed due to the 
judicious intervention of the 36th Calvary recon Troop, the Germans tried again within the hour, this time
on the right flank.

Game Length: 8 turns

For the Germans to win they must exit 3 AFV's off the west edge towared Blue Beach
For the Americans to win they must prevent the panzer breakthrough to the assault beaches

Germans: Squads, HMG, MMG's, LMG's AFV's
Americans: Squads, HMG's, MMG's, MTR's, BAZ's, ART's

Boards: #4, #16, #19

Aftermath: The first German thrust against Company K became disorganized when the tankers were unerved by a 
wild infantry charge from the G.I. foxholes led by Captain Hersel Adams. The panzers fell back to regroup. 
In a second assault some minutes later, Adams was killed and the panzers threatened to break through the
thin American lines. But by that time, Company M had been ordered to their support. Two men of that company,
Pfc. Rookery and Pvt. Counselman, took a bazooka from a wounded man and proceeded to slow the advance with
some well aimed fire from less than 30 yards. Their heroism gave the crews of the two 105mm howitzers of the
151st Field Artillery Battalion (which had just landed in the sixth wave) time to unlimber their guns. The
point blank fire of these proved decisive in breaking up the armored attack. The 16th Panzer would not seriously
threaten Blue Beach again on D-Day.


Source: ASL Annual '89 magazine, ASL Scenario A4, Beyond the Blue Beach
 