the editorial team
The text we present is taken from the biographies of the "Custermen" of the 85th US Infantry Division:
https://www.custermen.com/AtTheFront/Biographies/Fisher.htm
A young farmer becomes a soldier
Kermit Camden Fisher was born on November 22, 1922, in Glenville, West Virginia, the son of Elias H. Fisher and Janet Westfall Fisher. Kermit was the youngest of their children, and his childhood was deeply shaped by the tragic loss of his father in 1938, which forced him to take care of the family and help out on his grandfather's farm. Despite these challenges, Kermit graduated from Glenville High School, where he played the trumpet in the school band. After graduating, he enrolled at Glenville State Teachers College in 1942, with the hope of becoming a teacher, but family responsibilities led him to leave his studies to assist in managing the farm. Kermit was an active member of the community: he participated in the 4-H youth organization, dedicated to youth development, and regularly attended Glenville Baptist Church.
He was initially exempted from military service under the II-C classification, reserved for those deemed essential to agricultural work. However, in August 1943, driven by a strong sense of duty and the desire to serve his country, Kermit decided to volunteer for the Army.
Military training, deployment to the front, and then the attack on Altuzzo
Kermit was sent to Camp Fannin, Texas, where he completed basic training. Before departing for the front, he was granted a short leave to return home. During this visit, aware of his mother’s concerns, he asked his sister Betty not to reveal that he was being deployed to a combat zone.
The Attack on the Gothic Line. September 13-17, 1944
Kermit was later assigned to Company C of the 338th Infantry Regiment, part of the 85th "Custer" Infantry Division, and was sent to Italy in support of General Mark W. Clark’s 5th Army. After the liberation of Rome in June 1944, the German army began a slow and aggressive retreat through Lazio and Tuscany, eventually falling back to the Gothic Line, a complex system of defenses in the Apennine Mountains. This fortified line stretched from coast to coast across the Apennines and served as the last major barrier to the Allied advance into northern Italy. In August 1944, the decision was made for the American forces to break through at Il Giogo Pass, targeting the heights west of Monticelli and east of Monte Altuzzo, Monte Verruca, and Monte Pratone. The attack began on September 13, 1944. The 338th Infantry Regiment was ordered to attack Monte Altuzzo, a strategic position with a commanding view of the Allied advance. Located at an elevation of 936 meters, the mountain was steep and well-defended by German fortifications, including bunkers, trenches, and minefields.
Private Fisher, Killed in Action
During the battle to capture Monte Altuzzo, Private First Class Kermit Camden Fisher lost his life. On October 7, 1944, a telegram signed "Julio, Adjutant General" delivered the heartbreaking news to his mother, Janet. The message read: "The Secretary of War has asked me to extend to you his deepest sympathy for the loss of your son, Private First Class Kermit C. Fisher, who had previously been reported as missing in action. A new report states that he was killed in action on the seventeenth of September in Italy. A letter will follow […]".
Two months later, on December 9, 1944, a letter arrived from Captain William M. Kendall of the Chaplain Corps. Kermit Fisher "was killed instantly in Northern Italy around seven o’clock in the morning on September 17, 1944, while attacking an enemy position. He was fatally struck by machine-gun fire, with one bullet hitting his right eye and another his right shoulder. He was well-liked by his fellow soldiers and did excellent work in combat. Kermit was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for his service at the time of his death."
The Bronze Star Medal
The letter to the mother
The news on the local press
Dear Mrs. Fisher,
At the request of the President, I am writing to inform you that the Purple Heart has been posthumously awarded to your son, Private First Class Kermit C. Fisher, Infantry, who sacrificed his life in defense of his country.
There is little we can do or say to console you for the loss of your loved one. We deeply appreciate the magnitude of your loss, for, in a very real sense, the loss suffered by any of us in this battle for our country is a loss shared by all of us. When you receive the medal, which will soon be sent to you, I hope you will know that along with it goes my sincerest sympathy, with the hope that time and the victory of our cause will eventually lighten the burden of your grief.
Sincerely,
(Signed)
Henry L. Stimson
Secretary of War
Kermit Camden Fisher
November 27, 1922 – September 17, 1944
Killed near Rome, Italy
PFC, 338th Infantry Regiment, 85th Infantry Division, WWII
Private First Class Kermit C. Fisher of Glenville was recently posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for his heroic actions while serving with the 85th "Custer" Division, part of Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark's 5th Army in Italy. During an attack on a major objective that lasted all night, Fisher, as the platoon’s "runner," maintained constant communication between the three squads of the platoon despite intense enemy fire and mountainous terrain. When the enemy was forced to retreat from their position and a new assault was launched against a double-bunker position, Fisher joined the assault group and, using both rifle and grenades, advanced directly to the bunker. It was during this action that he was killed by machine-gun fire. During the assault, 15 enemy soldiers were killed, 32 were taken prisoner, and large amounts of equipment and supplies were destroyed. His mother, Mrs. Janet Fisher, lived in Glenville but was currently working in Charleston.
The final assault on Monte Altuzzo
Kermit Fisher's role as a "runner"
The information given to the Fisher family about Kermit’s death was very brief, too brief. To better understand the ferocity of the fighting in which Kermit Fisher was involved, we refer here to a text that reconstructs with some detail the final battles for the capture of the summit of Monte Altuzzo. The fighting began on September 13 and ended on the 17th—four days and three nights during which the 338th Infantry Regiment paid a heavy toll in human lives. As for Kermit Camden Fisher, it should be noted that his role as a "runner" could have placed him anywhere on the battlefield, but the accounts of his surviving comrades tell us how he died: trying to help a fellow soldier.
But what exactly was a "runner"? In the U.S. Army, a "runner" served as a messenger on the battlefield. Their main responsibility was to carry messages and orders between different units, such as platoons, companies, or command posts, in situations where radio or telephone communication was not possible or secure. This role was essential during intense battles, where communication lines often broke down due to enemy fire or difficult terrain conditions. The job of a "runner" required great courage and physical endurance, as they had to move quickly across the battlefield, under enemy fire, and in extremely dangerous conditions, to maintain contact between units. In addition to delivering messages, "runners" could also be tasked with checking the positions of other units or bringing crucial information about changing battlefield conditions.
Being a "runner" was considered a high-risk role, as they often had to cross areas exposed to machine-gun fire, artillery, or enemy troops—just as Pfc Kermit Fisher did
Assault on the right bunker
From here on, the text takes up the reconstruction of... C.B. MACDONALD, S.T. MATHEWS, Three Battles: Arnaville, Altuzzo, and Schmidt
Monte Altuzzo and the surrounding peaks. The 338th Regiment began its attack from the ravine in the center of this photo. They advanced along the ridge to the left. Pfc Fisher was killed during the final assault on the two German bunkers located at the summit.
Instead of continuing on their own, the three men decided to turn back to request reinforcements from the southern slope. After Lieutenant Krasman gave the order to his non-commissioned officers to gather more troops, Sergeant Strosnider rushed forward with about fifteen soldiers from Company C, quickly climbing the mountain. Schwantke, followed by Sergeant Thompson and a few men from the 1st Platoon, moved swiftly along the right side of the ridge and descended into the zigzag trench. As they approached the last bend, they were blocked by a burst of machine-gun fire coming from the entrance of the right bunker. Schwantke tried several times to pass the bend, but each time was driven back by enemy fire. At that point, Lieutenant Krasman and Sergeant Thompson began throwing grenades toward the German machine gun and the enemy troops at the end of the trench, but the grenades seemed to have no effect. On the ridge, Sergeant Strosnider and his group cautiously advanced a few meters until they took cover in a large crater. Less than a meter away, they spotted the upper edge of a wooden bunker covered with dirt. The bunker had doors on two sides but no firing apertures. However, the movements inside the crater were clearly noticed by the Germans in the bunker. Quickly, they opened the door on the north side and began throwing stun grenades toward the crater. The nearby explosions shook the men hiding in the crater, but luckily, the only grenade that made it into the crater did not explode.
While several of the attackers, including Sergeant Strosnider, stayed in the crater for a while, Private Elmer J. Kunze and Private Lawrence Markey, Jr. moved along the western slope. Suddenly, a German soldier wearing an American helmet emerged from the entrance of the right bunker. For a moment, both the German and the two Americans were caught by surprise. Markey raised his rifle but hesitated too long before pulling the trigger. The German threw a grenade first. Caught off guard, Markey and Kunze retreated a short distance, where they met Sergeant Strosnider and asked him for more grenades. With the last available grenade, the two men returned to the western slope, getting within a few meters of the right bunker. After a brief pause, a German inside the bunker opened the door again and threw more grenades at them. Kunze promptly responded with his M-1. The German retreated into the bunker and reopened the door at regular intervals to throw more grenades, closing it each time before Kunze could fire. Meanwhile, Sergeant Harvey E. Jones and Private Ernst H. Becker, both from the 2nd Platoon (Company C), who were positioned on the left slope of Hill 926 near the crest, moved toward the entrance of the right bunker, about three meters from where Kunze was firing. Some of the German grenades exploded just a few meters from Jones, and one slightly wounded Becker. The two decided to try advancing along the right side of the bunker. Halfway through the zigzag trench, they had to dive to the ground when a German machine gun, positioned to the left on Knob 3, began firing in the area. Jones and Becker crawled toward the western side of the ridge and found cover in a large crater, which had once been the enemy's observation post. Near the right bunker, Markey paid little attention to the sound of the machine-gun fire. While Kunze provided covering fire, Markey looked for an opening to throw a grenade. As he moved toward the top of the bunker, a bullet struck him in the right shoulder.
Meanwhile, Private Anthony W. Houston, who was with Sergeant Strosnider's small group inside the crater, mounted a grenade on his rifle and prepared to fire. But before he could do so, a burst of machine-gun fire from Knob 3 struck him down fatally. After this hit, the other men in the crater noticed Schwantke further down, at the corner of the trench leading to the bunker. At that point, Pfc Kermit C. Fisher shouted: "There's Schwantke, let's go help him!"and he rose above the crater to get out. Unfortunately, a burst of machine-gun fire hit him in the throat, killing him instantly. The rest of the men in the crater, overwhelmed by the situation, slowly retreated toward the 3rd Platoon’s positions on the southern slope and toward the right zigzag trench. On the crest of Hill 926 and along the zigzag trench, Sergeant Strosnider's men were unable to drive the Germans out of the right bunker. Instead of charging the position, they stayed outside, throwing grenades or shooting at the enemy. Eventually, the machine-gun fire from Knob 3 forced them to retreat. The men under Lieutenant Krasman and Sergeant Thompson, positioned in the right zigzag trench along with Schwantke, were stopped before they could reach the bunker due to enemy machine-gun fire from an even closer range.
Assault on the left bunker
Questa mappa traccia il movimento dell'attacco principale della Compagnia C del 338º Reggimento. Le posizioni di partenza del 1º, 2º e 3º Plotone sono mostrate in basso.
During the action, Sergeant Fent from the 3rd Platoon, along with Private Lightner and Private Peter Kubina, Jr., moved along the left side of the western slope to locate enemy positions. Upon reaching the zigzag trench west of the summit, Lightner and Fent made their way through the bush-covered slope, eventually discovering the left bunker. On top of the bunker was a German officer with glasses. As Lightner approached the lower part of the bunker near the trench exit, Sergeant Fent climbed on top and shot the officer. The shot alerted the enemies in the right bunker, who started throwing grenades toward Fent. Quickly crossing the top of the bunker, Fent dove back into the left zigzag trench, followed by Lightner. The two withdrew halfway up the trench and attempted to fire at the right bunker, but without success. Determined to continue, they advanced again toward the left bunker. Lightner returned to the entrance, while Fent climbed back on top. Hearing voices from inside, Fent ordered the German soldiers to surrender, speaking in German.
While Lightner covered the entrance, a two-part door, a German soldier came out throwing grenades. Lightner quickly responded with his rifle as the grenades flew over him. His first shot hit the German in the stomach. The soldier fell to the ground and tried to draw his pistol, but before he could, Lightner shot him again in the stomach and hand, causing him to drop the weapon. To ensure the soldier was dead, Lightner fired four more rounds. After picking up the pistol, Lightner retreated to his cover position at the corner of the trench.
On top of the bunker, Fent continued ordering the Germans to surrender, and after a few minutes, the enemy soldiers began coming out one by one. Under the direction of the platoon sergeant, fourteen German soldiers, including a Sergeant Major, surrendered. Lightner searched them, and the two Americans led them to the crater that had once been the enemy's observation post. During the interrogation, the Sergeant Major confessed that the Germans had been planning a counterattack and intended to hold Monte Altuzzo at all costs. He admitted that they had been caught by surprise by the attack; otherwise, they would never have allowed the Americans to break through their main line of resistance and reach the crest of the mountain. The German soldiers had wanted to surrender when they first heard the Americans outside, but their lieutenant had prevented them, keeping control of his men until he was neutralized by American fire.
The final assault by Company C and the circumstances of Fisher's death
The map on the left shows the movement of the main attack by Company C of the 338th Regiment. The starting positions of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Platoons are indicated at the bottom. Sergeant Strosnider led a group of 15 men, including PFC Kermit Fisher, directly up the slope toward the summit. Schwandtke and other men moved to the right, including soldiers Jones and Becker, while Kunze and Markey moved to the left. When Strosnider’s men reached a crater caused by an explosion, they paused to prepare for the assault on the bunker. During this time, Private Houston was killed while preparing a grenade launcher.
It was then that Kermit Fisher looked toward the trench in front of the right bunker and saw Schwandtke sitting at the entrance of the trench. PFC Fisher shouted to his platoon leader: "There's Schwantke, let's go help him!" As soon as he stood up to say this, a German machine gun killed him. The fire could have come from the bunker, but most likely it originated from the hill known as Knob 3.
Fisher was initially listed as missing, and the mention of his Bronze Star Medal did not specify how or where he had fallen, nor under what circumstances. The accounts of his fellow soldiers, along with the historical reconstructions by Charles B. MacDonald and Sidney T. Mathews, helped clarify how he died.
Burial
Private First Class Kermit C. Fisher was initially buried in the Castelfiorentino Military Cemetery, near Empoli. On March 3, 1949, his remains were returned to the United States, where he now rests in Stalnaker Cemetery in Glenville, West Virginia, the place where he was born and raised as a boy.
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