<P> The main landings ( Operation Avalanche ) were scheduled to take place on 9 September , during which the main force would land around Salerno on the western coast . It would consist of the U.S. Fifth Army , under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark , comprising the U.S. VI Corps under Major General Ernest J. Dawley , the British X Corps under Lieutenant - General Richard McCreery , with the 82nd Airborne Division in reserve , a total of eight divisions and two brigade - sized units . Its primary objectives were to seize the port of Naples to ensure resupply , and to cut across to the east coast , trapping Axis troops further south . The naval task force of warships , merchant ships and landing craft totaling 627 vessels came under the command of Vice Admiral Henry K. Hewitt . Following the disappointing air cover from land - based aircraft during the Sicily landings , Force V of HMS Unicorn and four escort carriers augmented the cruisers USS Philadelphia , Savannah , Boise , and fourteen destroyers of Hewitt 's command . Cover for the task force was provided by Force H , a group of four British battleships and two fleet carriers with destroyers in support , which was directly subordinate to the C -- in -- C Mediterranean Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham . </P>
<P> The main landings ( Operation Avalanche ) were scheduled to take place on 9 September , during which the main force would land around Salerno on the western coast . It would consist of the U.S. Fifth Army , under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark , comprising the U.S. VI Corps under Major General Ernest J. Dawley , the British X Corps under Lieutenant - General Richard McCreery , with the 82nd Airborne Division in reserve , a total of eight divisions and two brigade - sized units . Its primary objectives were to seize the port of Naples to ensure resupply , and to cut across to the east coast , trapping Axis troops further south . The naval task force of warships , merchant ships and landing craft totaling 627 vessels came under the command of Vice Admiral Henry K. Hewitt . Following the disappointing air cover from land - based aircraft during the Sicily landings , Force V of HMS Unicorn and four escort carriers augmented the cruisers USS Philadelphia , Savannah , Boise , and fourteen destroyers of Hewitt 's command . Cover for the task force was provided by Force H , a group of four British battleships and two fleet carriers with destroyers in support , which was directly subordinate to the C -- in -- C Mediterranean Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham . </P>
who was the us general who led forces in italy
who was the us general who led forces in italy
Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark
Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark