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April 23, 1944. After conveyance by LCI, 23 officers and men under Capt. Verghis landed at the cave at Parga (or Splanza) in Epirus, a western state, with supplies including dehydrated rations for 45 days. On this and the next day Group moved to base, Romanon, a mountain monastery . April 27. In the 4-day period around this date unit was at Glyki working with British and Andartes closing a road related to another LCI landing. May 21. In a 6-day period around this date the unit again closed the Glyki road and the landing of Lt. Papazoglou's Group was successful and they moved to their area. June 18. In an 8-day operation road was closed for the landing of Lt. Giannaris' Group. Another road operation followed on the Joannina-Igumanetsa road. Hot weather added to bad living conditions. Several men had malaria. July 5/6. Lt. Verghis with part of the Group and with Andartes ambushed a convoy of 5 trucks on the Igumanita-Ioannina road, the only supply route to Kenkira island. In 40 minutes the trucks carrying personnel, ammunition, mines and fuel were left burning and few Germans escaped. This was the first time Americans struck at Germans in Greece. July 13. 10-day operation blocking road at Despotikon. Aug. 16. Lt. Mackey with part of the Group plus part of unit A under Capt. Darr, and a Bn. of Andartes (150 troops) under Col. Zotes, at an advance base at Radovici, planned a siege on Butsara where a garrison of 60 German troops was stationed. It was the QM garrison for guard posts on the Ioannina-Igumaniti road. Approaches were heavily guarded. Aug. 17. The party traveled 4 hours from Radovici to their ambush positions at a horseshoe-shaped part of the road between Vrusina and Menina. Aug. 18. At 1400 hours 5 trucks loaded with troops approached from Vrusina. Germans in the first trucks spotted members of the party, fire was exchanged, several Germans were shot, and the rest escaped. In these few minutes, as the trucks turned around, the second turned over, blocking the first, and the last three trucks got away. The two trucks were looted, set on fire, and the troops withdrew. Aug. 25. Another ambush was set up near the horseshoe site. At 2300 hours lights from 20 or 30 trucks approached from the west. The Andarte officer withdrew his troops. In a few minutes a tremendous column of trucks approached from the east and continued past the smaller column. Over 40 were counted. The tail end was attacked, 8 were destroyed and 30 or 40 Germans killed or wounded. About 15 Andartes who had stayed and the OGs returned to Radavisi. Aug. 28. Condition of men poor; only 4 men fit for duty. Supplies including food had been inadequate. Sept. 5. Unit left Greece for Italy. Mission had
been a success; was a help to the British and boosted morale of the
Andartes.
This summary of the Balkan Operational Groups was extracted from records of the National Archives provided through the courtesy of Lt. Col. Ian D. W. Sutherland. Attorney Sutherland is the compiler of the encyclopedic "Special Forces of the United States Army, 1952-1982" |
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