Staff Sergeant Marshall Webb served in Company E of the 339th Infantry Regiment “Polar Bears” during the World War II campaign in Italy. He is memorialized by graffiti he left in the town of Tremensuoli on the eve of the attack on the “Gustav Line”. He also wrote several poems and his works and oral history can be found at the University of Kentucky. Google: Interview with Marshall Webb University of Kentucky.

From the University of Kentucky Library where his papers and an oral history which included the battle of Tremensuoli are located write this about Marshall Webb:
“World War II veteran and lifetime resident of Campbellsville, Taylor County, Ky. Born Feb. 24, 1922. Served in the 5th Army, 85th Infantry Division, 339th Infantry Company E. Drafted December 3, 1942 and honorably discharged Oct. 21, 1945. Shipped to Africa in 1944 and left for Italy a few months later. Participated in a major attack in Tremensuoli, Italy on May 11, 1944. Earned a purple heart medal and a bronze star. Married Opal Keen (born October 3, 1928) on February 13, 1947, and had three children, Eva (died March 28, 1994), Marsha, and Roger. Worked as a farm hand (1940-1942) and as a print operator. After the war, Died May 26, 2004. Buried at Green River Memorial Cemetery, Campbellsville, Ky”




Two poems Webb wrote about his service are below (from the University of Kentucky Oral History Website):


UP FRONT
Somewhere in Italy, on the 11th of May
We waited for our orders one cool, cloudy day.
As we waited patiently and darkness drew near,
We received our orders ---- To have no fear.

As I looked at my watch, it was just even ten;
At eleven was h-hour, then all hell would begin.
As we stood in the darkness sweating out the time
Waiting to attack the Gustav Line.

The moon was like a searchlight, as we reached no man’s land
I put my trust in God, and he took me by the hand
He’s the one who gave me courage, faith that I wouldn’t mind
Gave me strength to push forward – burst through the Gustav line.

As we struggled to push forward, how the shells whistled and whined
Yet I had my trust in God that the next one wasn’t mine.
As the sweat stood on my forehead, there was lots on my mind.
But now the American doughboys were crossing over that Gustav line.

Then we reached our main objective but just at the break of day
Death in hell struck our company --- all around me my buddies lay.
As I knelt down by my buddy, he knew it was his time,
“Thank God we won our Victory—we hold the Gustav Line.”

You can talk of all your battles and history will tell
But the one fought at Treminsola was sure bloody hell
And when we reach the U.S.A. these thoughts will dwell in mind,
How we fought and fell in Treminsola taking over the Gustav Line.


One more river to cross…

Spring is coming in Italy
The grass is turning green
Christmas has come and winter is gone
Ten years to us it has seemed

We now in defense in Italy
But the time will come again
To fight our way into the Po
And bring this thing to an end

We all remember Treminsola
And the days we fought for Rome
The rivers we crossed and the hills we took
But yet we farther from home

We can always remember Salerno
Where buddies fought and fell
as well as the beach Head at Anzio
Where lots of our buddies still dwell.