Assault on the monastery near the town of Cassino

February 15th marked the 80th anniversary of the series of powerful airstrikes by American aviation on the ancient Benedictine monastery near the town of Cassino in Italy.

It is believed that the monastery was founded by Saint Benedict himself in 529. The abbey was located on the high hill of Monte Cassino, which by the end of 1943, German forces turned into an important point of the defensive line called the "Gustav Line," which protected the approaches to Rome. However, most of the monastery's valuables and monks were evacuated. In January-February 1944, Allied forces made the first attempt to capture the hill and the monastery but failed and suffered significant losses. Particularly high casualties were suffered in the 2nd US Army Corps.

Before the second assault, it was decided to conduct an aerial operation against German positions on the hill and attack the monastery itself, although there was no conclusive evidence from the Allied command that it was occupied by enemy troops. On the early morning of February 15th, 142 heavy B-17 Flying Fortress bombers, as well as 47 medium B-25 Mitchell and 40 B-26 Marauder bombers, dropped over 1000 tons of bombs on the monastery and the surrounding area. They attacked in several waves, with artillery from the Allies firing during the intervals between them.

As a result, the monastery suffered extensive damage. However, there is still no conclusive evidence that even one German soldier was killed. Only civilian casualties among Italians seeking shelter in the abbey are known.

After the airstrikes, the Germans occupied the monastery ruins and turned them into a powerful defense stronghold. Allies had to organize three more assaults, and only in May 1944 did they manage to break through on this front.

In the post-war period, the monastery was restored at the expense of Italy's state funds.