Description:

Clark Mark 1896 - 1984 In four superb content letters, Mark W. Clark praises the contributions of General Geoffrey Keyes' II Corps during the long Allied campaign in Italy: "...your II Corps made the breakthrough south of Rome, the advance to the Arno, and the breakthrough of the Gothic Line...you again led the II Corps as one of my strongest units in...forcing the surrender of all the German forces in Italy. Yours has been a wonderful record of history-making achievement." Four Typed Letters Signed "Mark W. Clark" and "Mark", 1p each, 8" x 10.5", all accomplished on "Headquarters United States Forces in Austria" letterhead, August 30, 1945 to January 2, 1946. File holes at top, light creases and penciled notations, else fine condition.

Still basking in the Allied victory over Axis forces in Europe, the correspondence opens with Clark informing Keyes that he is "leaving the II Corps to take over the command of the Seventh Army." Clark adds, "This is a well-deserved advancement and I rejoice in the wisdom and understanding which General Eisenhower has shown in selecting you to command an Army. But it is not easy to part from you." Clark then extolls Keyes' service in Italy from September 1943, recalling, "While in the Fifth Army, your II Corps made the breakthrough south of Rome, the advance to the Arno, and the breakthrough of the Gothic Line. Then when I took over command of the 15th Army Group, you again led the II Corps as one of my strongest units in the breakthrough into the Po Valley and in forcing the surrender of all the German forces in Italy. Yours has been a wonderful record of history-making achievement ... I shall miss a loyal friend. You have been a source of reliance and strength in our trials and difficulties in Italy, and a source of inspiration during our glorious triumphs there." Interestingly, it had been the Seventh Army that had made contact with Mark Clark's Fifth Army near the Brenner Pass in the Alps in May 1945.

The generals remained in touch following Keyes' reassignment to command the Seventh Army, warmly reliving their glorious achievements in battle. On September 11, 1945, Clark wrote to thank Keyes for his message sent "... on the anniversary of the American landings at Salerno. My gratitude and admiration go out to the men of II Corps ... who fought under you ... They proved themselves gallant and tenacious fighters in the face of almost insuperable obstacles. On that September 9th we held high faith that we would accomplish our task, although none of us then could tell when victory would be ours. Last Sunday many of the men who were with you and me in Italy joined in marking the third anniversary of Salerno. We stood in Salzburg in a world at peace; American arms had been everywhere triumphant. We face now the challenge of making the peace firm and lasting. I am sure we can meet that challenge as we overcame the obstacles at Salerno and the hardships of the Italian campaign..."

The following day, September 12th, Clark forwarded a published compilation of the records of the Italian Campaign to Keyes: "When our American Fifth and British Eighth Armies crossed the Po to force the German foe into unconditional surrender in May 1945, we could look back on the lessons and experience of two years of campaigning in the difficult, mountainous terrain of Italy. Italian topography, house and village construction, climate and communication routes had favored the defense heavily, and necessitated our continual improvisations in offensive technique to secure our advance to final victory. Realizing the value of the knowledge we were obtaining, records were kept by both armies during the entire Italian campaign ... We now have published a compilation of these records, entitled 'A Military Encyclopedia, Based on operations in the Italian campaigns, 1943-1945,' a copy of which I am sending to you ... ". Keyes returned the favor by forwarding his own report on the operation of his II Corps in Italy. Acknowledging receipt of the report on January 5, 1946, Clark remarked, "It appears to be a most interesting presentation ... I am looking forward with particular pleasure to reading it in detail. I shall never forget my days with II Corps, nor the indispensable contribution which it made under your magnificent leadership during our long Italian campaigns, and to our final victory last May ..."

A terrific correspondence of two former comrades-in-arms recalling their greatest military achievement.






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