The 351st Infantry would fight the most important battle in this zone, with its main objective Santa Maria Infante.

With opposition now in its final stages, the 2nd Battalion moved on Santa Maria from the right and the 3rd Battalion drove up the Minturno-Santa Maria road. The town was occupied by 1000 hours and engineers followed on the heels of the infantry, clearing rubble froth the streets with bulldozers.

At Laiatico, the 351st encountered stubborn opposition, checked by several strong German counterattacks and continuous driving rains swelled streams to river size. The 313th Engineers doubled their efforts to keep open the lines of supply and in several places strung high lines over washouts and flash floods by means of which supplies and ammo were sent to forward troops.

While performing security duties on the Division’s left flank, the 351st Infantry Regiment unexpectedly ran into a hornet’s nest near Laiatico on 9 July. Here, the regiment encountered Grenadier Regiment 1060, an element of the recently-disbanded 92nd Infantry Division now attached to the 362nd Infantry Division, as well as other elements of the 90th Panzer Grenadiers. After being initially repulsed on 11 July, the regiment attacked again on the 12th with the 2nd and 3rd Battalions up and the 1st in reserve. The 3rd Battalion tore into the 1060th’s 1st Battalion, destroying it and killing the enemy battalion commander. By the early morning of 13 July, all regimental objectives were secure; for its part in the attack, the 3rd Battalion, 351st Infantry Regiment was later awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation.

The Arno River was crossed on the July 20th.

After a period of rest and training, the Division opened its assault on the Gothic Line, 21 September 1944, and advanced rapidly along the Firenzuola-Imola road, taking Mount Battaglia on the 28th.

History
Constituted in the National Army 5 August 1917 as the 351st Infantry Regiment, assigned to the 88th Division. Organized 30 August 1917 at Camp Dodge, Iowa. Demobilized 7 June 1919 at Camp Dodge. (88th Division demobilized 10 June 1919, relieving components from assignment; reorganized in 1921 in the Organized Reserves.) Reconstituted, allotted to the Organized Reserves, assigned to the 88th Division, VII Corps Area, 24 June 1921, and organized in October 1921. Ordered into active military service, less personnel, and organized 15 July 1942 at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, as an element of the 88th Infantry Division. Relieved of assignment to the 88th Infantry Division 1 May 1947. Withdrawn from the Reserves and allotted to the Regular Army in 1951.

Campaign Credits
World War I
Alsace

World War II
Rome-Arno
North-Apennines
Po Valley

Decorations
French Croix de Guerre with Palm embroidered CENTRAL ITALY (Department of the Army General Order 50-43)

All companies of the 2nd Battalion entitled to the Distinguished Unit Citation embroidered MT. CAPELLO, ITALY by authority of War Department General Order 46-43.

All companies of the 3rd Battalion entitled to the Distinguished Unit Citation embroidered LAIATICO, ITALY by authority of War Department General Order 45-6.

Service Company entitled to the Meritorious Unit Citation embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER by authority of 88th Infantry Division General Order 52, 1945.

Medical Detachment entitled to the Meritorious Unit Citation embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER by authority of 88th Infantry Division General order 98, 1945.

Motto
“Toujours Pret.” (Always Ready)