Featuring all-original research, this episode reveals how the mountain troops led the Army’s little-known low-mountain warfare program, prepared ordinary infantrymen for the Italian campaign, and helped lay the foundation for modern American climbing.
The Army’s Forgotten Low-Mountain Warfare Program
In the spring of 1943, the U.S. Army faced a pressing challenge. As the invasions of Sicily and Italy approached, commanders needed soldiers who could operate confidently in rugged mountain terrain. Consequently, Army Ground Forces turned to the Mountain Training Center for help.
Along the cliffs above Virginia’s James River, instructors developed a new low-mountain warfare program for the 36th and 45th Infantry Divisions. Through climbing, rappelling, rope work, route finding, and mountain movement, they demonstrated that ordinary infantrymen could master skills once reserved for specialists.
The Men Behind the Program
Drawing on extensive original research, this episode tells the story of the officers and enlisted mountain troops who made the program possible. Among them were 2nd Lt. John McCown, Brig. Gen. Onslow Rolfe, and a remarkable group of instructors whose work has remained largely overlooked.
Their efforts helped prepare thousands of soldiers for the Italian campaign. Just as importantly, they showed that technical climbing could become a practical military skill rather than a niche specialty.
A Lasting Legacy
The Virginia training program influenced far more than the fighting in Italy. After the maneuvers ended, many of its lessons returned to Camp Hale, where they helped shape the climbing curriculum of the 10th Mountain Division.
Meanwhile, hundreds of soldiers carried those skills home after the war. As a result, the program contributed to the rapid growth of American climbing during the postwar decades.
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Highlights include:
- The Army’s little-known low-mountain warfare program in Virginia during the spring of 1943
- How the mountain troops prepared the 36th and 45th Infantry Divisions for the Italian campaign
- The leadership of 2nd Lt. John McCown, Brig. Gen. Onslow Rolfe, and the Mountain Training Center instructors
- The influence of Kasserine Pass, Operation Husky, and Gen. Lesley McNair on Army training
- How the Virginia maneuvers shaped the 10th Mountain Division’s climbing curriculum
- Why the program helped lay the foundation for postwar American climbing
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