7 Steps Down: A Novel Of World War Ii Anzio

The beachhead at Anzio, Italy, was one of the best-planned, best-equipped, and most timidly-executed invasions of World War II. Red Dog was a special recon squad sent to operate behind German lines. In setting up a base at Anzio, the seven-man squad befriends an Italian family, who introduce them to pizza as an alternative to K rations. Returning from a behind-the-lines mission, Red Dog finds that the daughter of the Italian family has been murdered and that they are among the suspects. Meantime, Red Dog helps to repel three major German counterattacks, observes the annihilation of the Rangers, assaults a German headquarters, captures a high-ranking officer and his staff, destroys artillery batteries, and locates the monster railroad gun Anzio Annie for air attack. When the beachhead breaks out after four muddy and bloody months, Red Dog pursues the fleeing Germans and runs into trouble.