In November 1942, the 30-Infantry Regiment landed in North Africa. The amphibious operation was code named "Torch", involving 65,000 American, British, and French soldiers. The northern part of Africa was occupied by French soldiers who had sided with the Germans after France was taken over. Casablanca, the first place to be taken, was where the Allies fought their former French allies. Eventually the French soldiers, who had sided with the Germans, agreed to stop fighting and join the Allies again
After Casablanca was secured, part of the regiment was ordered to stay behind as guards for the Prime Minister and President Roosevelt during the Casablanca Conference that was held in January 1943. The other part guarded the border against Germany. The regiment was put under a new commander who would handle their operations, and would only have a little less than four months to prepare for the invasion of Sicily. |