The monument is in the back corner of the piazza/parking lot.

Monument

The monument is light rose-colored polished stone obelisk about 8 feet tall. Two sides have inscriptions and it sits behind a set of posts chained together and a few flower planters. There is one picture at the base of the monument, which looks like it was added after the construction.

The town of Sant’ Angelo in Theodice and the monument site sit on a bluff above the Gari River which the military in World War 2 called the Rapido River. The site also offers a beautiful view south where the 36th Infantry Division and the 5th Army had fought so hard over the prior to the Rapido River crossing 19-20 January 1944.

The Rapido River crossing attack (Also known as the 1stBattle of Monte Cassino) occurred just prior to Operation Shingle – the Anzio landing in an attempt to cross the river and enter the Liri Valley to link up with Shingle forces as well as draw off German units from responding to the landing.

From the Story of the 36th Division, the battle was described as such:

“The Rapido River, skirting Cassino, was the retaining band on the cork. Fifth Army elected to crack it by a frontal assault in an S-bend opposite Cassino. If ever the Germans were prepared to meet an attack, it was then and there. The 141st [Regiment]on the right and the 143rd [Regiment] on the left drove gallantly into the strongest defenses of the line, were thrown reeling back. Squads reformed from companies led by sergeants and launched another violent attack. Enemy mines were too thick; observation too good; machine guns firing almost from the rear, from the flanks and chopping down Yank assault elements. Attack after attack was ripped apart by the wicked cross-fire.

SSgt. Thomas McCall, Viedersburgh, Ind., led one attempted crossing of the Rapido. The young squad leader got across, formed his small group to make a determined stand in an untenable position. Although taken prisoner, he later was awarded the Congressional Medal.”

The tough attempt to cross this highly defended river can be summed up as such:
"If you weren't wounded, captured or killed, you weren't at Rapido."

Official Military History of World War II lists 1,681 casualties – 143 killed; 663 wounded; and 875 missing during the 48 hour operation.

Two sides of the obelisk have inscriptions: the front in English, one side in Italian.

The text on the front of the obelisk in English reads:

36^thDivision Symbol

36^th

Infantry