File No.
A16-3/N31
Serial: 00872Copy No. 00312 ACTION REPORT
WESTERN NAVAL TASK FORCETHE SICILIAN CAMPAIGN
OPERATION "HUSKY"
JULY-AUGUST, 1943
Vice Admiral H.K. HEWITT, U.S. NAVY,
Naval Commander, Western Task Force.[Formerly] SECRET [subsequently declassified]
Equals British MOST SECRET
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I INTRODUCTION 1 Part II NARRATIVE OF EVENTS 2-15 Part III THE PLAN 16-30 Section I PLANNING 16 Section II THE PLAN 19 Part IV EXECUTION OF THE PLAN 31-94 Section I REHEARSAL 31 Section II CONVOYS and ROUTING 31 Section III APPROACH 35 Section IV BEACON SUBMARINES 37 Section V THE LANDING 38 Section VI D-DAY: H-HOUR: SURPRISE 42 Section VII CONTROL VESSELS 45 Section VIII TRANSPORTS 47 Section IX LANDING CRAFT 50 Section X SHORE PARTY 54 Section XI BEACH PARTY 58 Section XII SMOKE 62 Section XIII BARRAGE BALLOONS 62 Section XIV OPENING OF PORTS 65 Section XV PORT SECURITY and COMBAT INTELLIGENCE 66 Section XVI MAINTENANCE and BUILD UP 66 Section XVII REDUCTION OF THE ISLAND 72 Section XVIII DIVERSIONS and DEMONSTRATIONS 79 Section XIX OPERATIONS OF PT BOATS 80 Section XX ENEMY NAVAL LOSSES 81 Section XXI BEACH INTELLIGENCE 81 Section XXII AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS 81 Section XXIII CHART-MAPS 81 Section XXIV SCOUT BOATS 82 Section XXV SCOUTS and THE LOCATING OF BEACHES 82 Section XXVI UNDERWATER and BEACH OBSTACLES 82 Section XXVII HYDROGRAPHIC RECONNAISSANCE OF BEACHES 83 Section XXVIII AEROLOGY 83 Section XXIX PRISONERS OF WAR 84 Section XXX MINE SWEEPING 85 Section XXXI MINE LAYING 85 Section XXXII NAVAL GUNFIRE 86 Section XXXIII AA DEFENSE and AIRCRAFT RECOGNITION 88 Section XXXIV ENEMY AIR ACTIVITIES 89 Section XXXV JOINT AIR PLAN 89 Section XXXVI FIGHTER COVER and AIR SUPPORT 91 Section XXXVII FIGHTER DIRECTOR CONTROL 92 Section XXXVIII SPOTTING PLANES 93 Section XXXIX NAVAL AIR LIAISON OFFICERS 93 Section XL STAFF ORGANIZATION and OPERATION 93 Section XLI PRESS RELATIONS 94 Part V MATERIAL AND LOGISTICS 95-100 Section I PLANNING, PREPARATION and TRAINING PERIOD 95 Section II REPAIR FACILITIES, DRY-DOCKS and PETROLEUM INSTALLATIONS IN SICILY 96 Section III EXPERIMENTAL and DEVELOPMENT WORK UNDERTAKEN TO OVERCOME PROBLEMS and CONDITIONS ARISING DURING THE PLANNING PERIOD 96 Section IV LOSSES, DAMAGE INCURRED, RELIABILITY OF SHIPS and CRAFT, and RECOMMENDED ALTERATIONS 97 Section V SALVAGE and FIRE FIGHTING 100 Section VI UNLOADING OF SHIPS and CRAFT 101 Part VI MEDICAL 102-104 Section I GENERAL 102 Section II BEACH BATTALIONS 102 Section III EVACUATION SHIPS 103 Section IV HOSPITAL FACILITIES 104 Section V U.S. NAVY CASUALTIES 104 Part VII COMMUNICATIONS 105-116 Section I GENERAL 105 Section II PLANNING 105 Section III COVER PLAN 106 Section IV "HEADQUARTERS" SHIPS 106 Section V DEFICIENCIES 107 Section VI CALL SIGNS 109 Section VII AUTHENTICATION 110 Section VIII CRYPTOGRAPHIC AIDS 110 Section IX VOICE CODES 111 Section X SPECIAL CODES 111 Section XI RADIO CHANNELS 112 Section XII VISUAL 112 Section XIII NAN EQUIPMENT 113 Section XIV RADAR and IFF 113 Section XV COUNTER MEASURES 114 Section XVI RADIO EQUIPMENT 114 Section XVII CONCLUSION 115 Part VIII CONCLUSIONS 117-127 ENCLOSURE (A) SICILY -- BEACH DATA ENCLOSURE (B) ASSAULT TRANSPORT ROUTES ENCLOSURE (C) ASSAULT TRANSPORT ROUTES ENCLOSURE (D) ASSAULT ROUTES ENCLOSURE (E) ATTACK FORCES ENCLOSURE (F) ARMY ATTACK PLAN (Diagrammatic) ENCLOSURE (G) GUNFIRE SUPPORT AREAS ENCLOSURE (H) MINEFIELDS AND ANCHORAGE ENCLOSURE (I) RETURN ROUTES ENCLOSURE (J) NORTH COAST OPERATIONS