Hot Springs Soldier. Anzio, 1944. Mines Caused 75% of Casualties

by Duke Doering

     In the spring of 1944, members of South Dakota’s 109th Engineer Battalion were supporting the 34th Infantry Division as the “Red Bull” [below] landed at Anzio and began to push German and Italian forces north up the boot of Italy.  During that fight it was important to keep track of mine fields belonging to allied forces and to locate and mark mines left by the defending and then retreating Axis combatants.  

     Of all allied casualties during that campaign, 75 percent were caused by mines, so the critical business of tracking and finding mines fell to engineer units such as the 109th and its members like Tech. Sgt.  Joe J. Manders of Hot Springs.  For his wartime skill and diligence, Manders received the Bronze Star.  The award citation describes his painstaking and dangerous duty:

        “For meritorious service in support of combat operations from March 22, 1944 to May 14, 1944 in Italy.  As Intelligence Sergeant of the 109th Engineer Battalion during this period, Sergeant Manders supervised the work of collecting, verifying and compiling all available mine field data in sectors occupied by the 34th Division. Through his outstanding initiative and supervision these projects were completed expeditiously and with extraordinary precision, and as a result forward elements of the Division have had complete and accurate information concerning mine obstacles in their respective areas.”