Palermo, Sicily July 1943
The plan for the Sicily recon team went as scheduled with the team boarding Alonso's smuggler ship with all their gear hidden below deck in crates or barrels of goods. Common place items like barrels of salt or empty wine bottles the Germans and Italians wouldn't think to look twice. All their gear and weapons were stored in those crates and they had to wear regular clothing to blend in. After a rocky boat ride through the Mediterranean, Alonso and his men piloted the ship past the sea barricades and naval mines before making port in Palermo just as the sun rose over the horizon.
Clark helped Alonso's men secure the ship to the dock when several men in Italian Army uniforms walked over. "Alonso, what have you brought for us this morning?" The commander asked him so Alonso signaled the others to bring over some crates. Lieutenant Marslow and Totollo, disguised as ships hands, brought over some crates of food including ham, bread, cheese, some wine along with vegetables like potatoes. Another of Alonso's men brought over another case of some expensive liquor and cigarettes as well. "Excellent haul, Alonso. It would seem that business is doing you good."
"Isn't it always and you always know you can count on Alonso for help." Alonso assured him with charm and swagger. The commander and his men grabbed the crates and put them in their truck when another truck arrived, this time occupied with German troops.
"What is going on here?" The German Lieutenant asked as everyone froze in place. He walked around and took a look at the crates coming off the ship while peeking into some of them. "Smuggling. You know that is a crime punishable by death? What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Lieutenant, Alonso helps supply my men and the other Germans at the base. Every little bit helps." The Italian commander told him.
The German Lieutenant looked around the ship and at the boxes down below as well. "Give us everything left on that ship. Now." He ordered.
"Yes, sir. You heard him, Alonso." The Italian Commander said to him.
"Of course. One moment. You five, help down below and carry up all the crates." Alonso told Lieutenant Marslow who took Totollo, Alfieri, Murray, and Clark down below deck.
"That's a bit of a problem." Marslow remarked, seething in frustration as this threw a wrench in things. They accounted for handing over some of the crates to bride the Italians but the Germans wanted everything on the ship. Their gear was hidden in some of the crates below deck.
"That's putting it mildly." Murray whispered back. "What do we do? Do we take them out?"
"No, we can't risk it. If a shot rings out or they go missing then the whole island is on alert." Totollo pointed out when he saw that Clark had already started taking their gear out of the crates they were hidden in. "What are you doing?"
"Hiding these in the ship. They just need the crates. Buy me some time." Clark told them as he removed a loose floorboard and began placing their guns underneath.
"You heard him. Take your time." Marslow told them as they each carried a crate from below deck and handed them over to the Germans. There were about 12 crates below deck so Marslow and the others took their time carrying up the crates, being as slow as possible. Clark quickly took out their gear and hid it as fast as he could and was lucky enough to find hidden spaces below deck like loose floorboards or compartments that could hide their gear. Totollo carried up the tenth crate when the German Lieutenant noticed something.
"Wait! Where is the fifth man?" The Lieutenant walked onto the ship with the Italian Commander following him down below deck. Alonso and the others started to sweat and get nervous but when the German and Italian officers got below deck all they saw was Clark on his knees, trying to sweep up a lot of salt that came from a crack in the last case. "What's going on here?"
"Apologies, sir but salt spilled out of the last crate. I missed the crack as I picked it up. I'm trying to clean it up as best as I can." Clark replied in Italian and the Italian commander translated.
"Who are you?" The Italian Commander asked him.
"Corleone. Vito Corleone, sir." Clark answered as the German Lieutenant walked around below deck looking for anything out of the ordinary. Luckily, the spilled salt helped cover up anything too noticeable and the lieutenant just wiped his shoe on the side of the boat.
"Get this mess cleaned up. Imbecile." The German remarked before walking back up.
"You heard him. Clean." The Italian Commander told him before heading up as well.
When the others saw the German and Italian come back up below deck they rested a bit easier as the German signaled his men to roll out. "The next time you think to smuggle things into this city…make sure there are better items." The German told Alonso before getting into the truck and leaving. The Italian Commander and his men left a few seconds later. Once they were gone, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was too close." Totollo remarked as he and the others headed back down below deck where they saw Clark cleaning his hands of the spilled salt. "You all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Bought a little extra time and they didn't look twice." Clark told him.
"And our gear?" Marslow wondered so Clark pulled open one of the floorboards to show their rifles. "Alonso, think you can help us sneak these out of the boat?"
"Of course. One moment." Alonso had one of his men fetch some blankets and empty boxes from the trucks parked by the pier waiting for them. They hid their gear in blankets and boxes before taking the trucks through Palermo to the Bronze Bell Tavern. That was where their contact would be waiting for them. The trucks pulled up into the alley behind the Bronze Bell Tavern so it looked like they were just making a regular delivery. Alonso got out of the driver's seat and looked around. Since it was early morning, people were starting to get out of their homes and beginning their tasks for the day so blending in with the people aided in their infiltration. "Come. Leave your things for now. The Don is waiting."
Marslow, Totollo, Alfieri, Murray, and Clark got out of the back of the truck and walked in through the back door of the tavern that was guarded by some tough looking guys with caps on their heads and tattoos on their arms. It was a fish surrounded by rope which was the local symbol for the harbor and town.
"Did Alonso say the Don is waiting?" Clark whispered.
"Yes. Need to know Naval intelligence. Don't say anything unless your spoken to and watch your tone. Don't say anything disrespectful." Totollo warned him as they walked through the tavern where the owner took them to the storage area in the back. It was just a storage room and seemed like a dead end but he removed some tarp and boxes to reveal a secret cellar. Alonso again led them first and they walked down into an old wine cellar that had been converted into a makeshift meeting and planning room. Probably for the local partisans and resistance.
There were several tables set up and at the biggest table sat an elderly man, likely in his sixties with grey hair and thick glasses. He was wearing trousers with a button-down shirt and tended to a glass of red wine in his hand. Around him were thirty men, all of them young and strong and standing at attention. All of the men seemed rugged, could handle themselves in a fight and judging by the bulges in their sides or pants they were carrying weapons.
Alonso took off his cap and bowed his head. "Don Calo, the Americans are here."
This was Calogero Vizzini, also known as Don Calo. This seemingly ordinary looking old man was one of the heads of the Sicilian Mafia and boss of the town of Villalba. He was one of the most influential and respected members of the underworld in Italy. A Man of Honor. It was well known that when Mussolini rose to power in Italy, one of the first things he promised in his national speech was vowing to purify the social air and crack down on crime and corruption. The answer to that was to eradicate the Mafia, the so-called cancer of Italy and he actually did it. He arrested nearly 1,000 mafia members, wise guys, and men of honor and then put them in jail where they died or just had them executed. A result of that was the Mafia fleeing or going into hiding. Some fled to America and it was that help that got Clark and the others to where they are now, meeting with Don Calo who would help them in their mission.
"Don Calo." Marslow bowed his head quickly followed by the others. Clark was a little confused but did the same as the others.
"Lieutenant. We welcome your arrival. Please sit and relax." Don Calo told them, gesturing for them to sit. Marslow did and the others then took seats as the tavern owner got them each a small glass and gave them some wine. "I trust your journey here was good."
"It was. We ran into a slight problem at the pier with the Germans but we were able to handle it." Marslow answered.
"Brutes and thieves. Sicily will be better off when they are gone." Don Calo sipped his wine and sat up. "Forgive me, Lieutenant but I was aware that it would be four men arriving that my men and I would be aiding yet there are five sitting in front of me."
"A fifth member was added to our team for added security and firepower. Corporal Kalvin Elbert." Marslow introduced Clark.
"He's not Italian, is he?" Don Calo asked and Clark shook his head no.
"No, I'm not Italian, Don Calo but I can speak and understand the language." He answered and Don Calo was impressed.
"Impressive. Well, my men and I are happy to help the Americans defeat Mussolini and the Germans. We have rooms prepared upstairs for you to rest as well as some food. And when you are ready, we have trucks and cars to take you around the island wherever you need to go. Alonso will be your guide and speak for my men." Don Calo explained.
"Of course, Don Calo." Alonso replied and the Don got up.
"Best of luck, my friends." Don Calo told them before leaving with some of his men while the rest stayed behind.
"Elbert, Murray, why don't you two bring in the gear. It's time we get to work." Marslow told them.
"Roger that. Come on." Murray pat Clark on the shoulder and led him back upstairs. The two made their way back to the truck behind the tavern and grabbed their gear.
"So, we're working with the Mafia?" Clark asked, grabbing their bags and their guns which were rolled up in a blanket as Murray grabbed the radio and the rest of their things.
"We need the help and they know the terrain. Plus, they have no love for Mussolini or the Germans. It's because of their intel that we've managed to get this far." Murray told him.
"I get it but command was really ok with this?" Clark wondered as they walked back in.
"Their plan. War makes allies out of enemies, Elbert. Buckle up because this is just the start." Murray told him. They walked back down stairs with their gear to see Marslow, Totollo, and Alfieri were looking over a map and talking with some of the local Mafioso who were informing them of the city. "What's it looking like?"
"They've got a good understanding of the city. Where the guards are stationed at and Alonso says they've got men stationed nearby around the port that can get us in if we need it. So far, the Germans mainly stick to the barracks on the outskirts of the city. Leave the Italian army to keep things controlled here. On the island there are about two corps of the Italian 6th army so about 200,000 fighting men." Marslow explained.
"Local men though. Not really eager to fight with the Germans. Many will throw down their guns when the fighting starts." Alonso added.
"And the Germans?" Clark questioned.
"32,000 soldiers of the German army and 30,000 Luftwaffe. There's also a Panzer division but they've been relegated to the airfields or the larger cities to the south." Marslow answered.
"Which means that when the beach landing is made in the south then those tanks could be an issue." Totollo surmised.
"With the radio though we could radio in naval artillery and take them out before the first teams make landing." Murray suggested.
"That's the plan. Stick to the civilian gear now and just pistols but don't draw attention. Alonso and his men will show us around the island and we'll recon everything. Troop positions, barracks, AA gun emplacements, airfields, and artillery. The more we know the better prepared the landings will be." Marslow planned out. "Murray, Elbert will be with me. Totollo and Alfieri will be with Alonso. Once we get a good understanding of this area, we'll start heading south."
And that was their plan. With the help of Alonso and the other local men of honor and influence, the five Americans were able to move about town as regular civilians. They blended in with the local population and walked around the coastline and surrounding area to get a more accurate layout of expected resistance in other towns. Guard positions and check points coming in and out of town but manned by less than enthusiastic or attentive soldiers. Marslow, Murray, and Clark scoped out the surrounding hills and found the barracks for the nearby garrison. They hid by rocks and trees and used their binoculars to check things out.
"Looks fairly standard. Two garrisons so about a thousand men but if Alonso's right then a lot of them come and go to other towns." Marslow remarked, watching the troops in the base and things seemed normal.
"I got something. Far end of the base by ammo yard." Clark told them and they looked over. "A few half-track vehicles. Lightly armored."
"I don't see anything. You sure?" Murray asked.
"I'm sure." Clark replied, using his x-ray vision and he was able to see everything. He jotted it all down in a spare notebook.
"German?" Marslow wondered.
"No, Italian half-tracks." Clark answered.
"Shouldn't be too much of an issue. Let's keep moving." Marslow told them and they left. They headed back to the tavern when Clark saw some German troops stop near a market to take some food and overheard their conversation. "Elbert?"
"Shh…three o'clock, the two Germans at the fruit stand in the market." Clark said so Murray and Marslow subtly glanced over to see the Germans. "They're talking about the Italian Naval Commander of the island. The German Lieutenant from the pier is meeting with him tomorrow."
"You can understand German. Good to know." Marslow commented.
"There's no way you can hear them. They're at least 75 yards away." Murray pointed out.
"I can. They say they're gonna escort the Lieutenant up to the hills at the villa and take him back when it's over. And then they're saying something in German that I'm pretty sure…yeah, it's an ethnic slur." Clark told them.
"Villa of the island's Naval Commander?" Marslow asked and Clark nodded. "Sounds like a good place to hit."
The three returned to the tavern where Alonso, Totollo, and Alfieri were huddled around the table of maps and photos, adding in what they saw. They told Alonso about the German Lieutenant meeting with the Italian Naval Commander at a villa. Luckily, Alonso was able to ask around and the sister of the cousin of one of the men worked as a maid at a secret villa owned by the Naval Commander and she knew where it was. That place could be a perfect place for intel and at the very least, they would be able to take down the Italian Naval Commander and a German Lieutenant before the invasion which would make things easier. And that was the plan. They'd stay the night and head out to the villa tomorrow to catch the meeting and then they'd continued south. They'd still be in their civilian garb and with the mafia backup, the Germans and Italians would chalk this up to partisan activity.
The next day…
Alonso and his men managed to get them two trucks and a car to drive them south from Palermo to find the hidden villa of the Naval Commander. Afterward they'd keep going south in preparation for the first aquatic landings. They hid their gear underneath the trucks and the drive was long and slow up the hills of Sicily but they eventually got to their destination. Around early morning, they parked the trucks on the side of the road and grabbed their weapons before heading to the villa on foot. The hidden villa was actually quite picturesque and screamed Italian nobility or deep pockets. It had high walls, a fancy courtyard, overlooked a beautiful range with hills of vineyards and farms nearby and if you looked in through the massive windows then you'd see beautiful paintings, tapestries, and evidence of good living.
"Fancy place. What do you think the rent is like? I might move in after this is all over." Totollo remarked, looking through his binoculars and checking out the villa. The group was hiding in the forest and trees nearby.
"Probably more than we could afford." Alfieri pointed out.
"Nazi party money. Looks like it did the Naval Commander well." Marslow said.
"The old owner was a man of honor. A friend of Don Calo. Mussolini and his men killed him and then moved in before he was even buried." Alonso told them.
"Place looks pretty isolated. We might be able to get this done without alerting the rest of the island. At least for a while." Murray suggested.
"Italian soldiers guarding the villa, four on lookout but they aren't exactly attentive. Give or take about twenty five soldiers in and around the villa along with the staff. Maybe four Germans with the Lieutenant." Marslow theorized.
"The staff are locals. They'll side with us if we take the villa." Alonso stated.
"Lieutenant, side of the villa at 3 0'clock." Clark said, getting their attention and it was a long telephone wire. "We need to cut that first before we go in."
"Nice spot." Marslow told him, looking at the villa and then at the group. "Ok, we'll hit them from two sides. Totollo, take Elbert and a group to circle around the back after you cut the telephone wire. The rest will make the main assault from the front and keep them occupied while you hit them from behind."
"Sounds good." Totollo replied as they ducked down and grouped up with Alonso and his men. There were about 13 Mafia men/partisans with them and all were armed with a variety of guns that were smuggled in with Alonso's goods or stolen from the Italian and German army. Some of the locals had fathers or relatives that hunted so they had double-barrel shotguns but the rest had a mix-mosh collection of weapons. Some were carrying Karabiner 98k and Carcano Modello 1891 bolt action rifles while others had German MP-40 submachine guns or the Italian Beretta M1938 submachine gun. A few even had Beretta M1934 and German Walther P38 pistols in their belts.
Marslow and Totollo loaded ammo clips into their Thomspon M1A1 Submachine guns while Alfieri checked the scope on his Springfield M1903A1 sniper rifle. Murray unfolded the collapsible stock on his M1 Carbine and loaded in a clip while Clark put in a box magazine for his BAR and stashed a few more in his belt. They all checked their Colt M1911A1 pistols before moving into position. Totollo, Clark, and six of the Mafia men stealthily moved around the side, sticking to the forests and trees to avoid being seen. They hugged the trees as they traversed along the side of the villa while Marslow and the others took up positions by the front. They neared the back of the villa and at the telephone wire perched up above the wall.
Totollo took out a pair of wire cutters and slung his submachine gun over his back. "Give me a boost." He raised his leg up so Clark just used one hand and lifted him up over his head. "Whoa…"
"That good?" He asked and Totollo saw Clark was holding him up with one arm and minimal effort.
"Guess you're stronger than you look." Totollo remarked, cutting the telephone wire before dropping back to the ground.
"You've got no idea." Clark replied as they moved around to the back of the villa. Much like the front, it had a picturesque view overlooking the hills with a private small vineyard and farm. It was so nice that three of the Italian soldiers were sitting around a table and drinking wine like they were on vacation. "I'll take care of them."
"Make it quick and be quiet." Totollo told him while he led the others to the doors in the back of the villa.
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