on the Volturno Line. Near Mignano Monte Lungo Hill 193, Company B repelled a reconnaissance by seven German soldiers, killing three and taking four prisoners. Murphy was promoted to sergeant on 13 December. By this time, the 3rd Infantry Division had suffered heavy casualties: 683 dead, 170 missing, and 2,412 wounded. Anzio The 3rd Infantry Division was notified in December 1943 of the planned January 1944 storming of Anzio beachhead, the beginning of the liberation of Rome. The division began training near Naples and practiced an amphibious landing at Salerno. Murphy was made section leader on 4 January and promoted to staff sergeant on 13 January. He was hospitalized in Naples with malaria on 21 January, and was unable to participate in the initial landing commanded by Major General John P. Lucas. Murphy returned to his unit in time to take part in the unsuccessful First Battle of Cisterna, which was fought between 30 January and 1 February. It was the most fierce and sustained fighting Murphy had experienced to date. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Paulick, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 15th Infantry, temporarily took charge of Company B when the company commander's wounds left him unable to lead. Paulick later stated that the ensuing 3-day battle decimated the company, leaving fewer than 30 soldiers alive. Lucas was replaced in February by Truscott. Command of the 3rd Division went to Major General John "Iron Mike" O'Daniel. The men were forced back to Anzio and remained there for months. Taking shelter in an abandoned farmhouse on 2 March, their artillery fire disabled a German tank. Although the tank crew were killed as they tried to escape, Murphy knew the tank could be repaired by the Germans and put back into use. Leaving his men in the farmhouse, Murphy advanced towards the tank by crawling on his stomach. He then used rifle grenades to permanently put the tank out of commission. For this action, he received the Bronze Star with "V" Device. Murphy continued to make scouting patrols to take German prisoners before being hospitalized for a week on 13 March with a second bout of malaria. The 3rd Division was taken off the front line in late March and placed in reserve status. From 1 to 11 April, the Division was put through additional combat training at Torre Astura. The training was so intense that Murphy felt his men needed