Attached to the IV Corps, the 473rd Infantry moved into the line on the night of 15 February. The 2nd Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Hampton H. Lisle, was astride Highway 12 at Cutigliano. Major Paul Woodward’s 3rd Battalion on the left, extended to Bagni di Lucca. The 1st Battalion was in reserve at San Marcello. The Regiment was known at the time as “Task Force 45.”
This sector, while broad and thinly held on both sides of the line, was very rough and mountainous and the situation was static. On the 16th and 17th of February the first of many routine patrols went out to contact the enemy. At this time the Regiment was opposed by Italians of the 3rd Battalion, 5th San Marco Marine Regiment, augmented by a few Germans and light artillery.
On the afternoon of the 17th Colonel William P. Yarborough, famed paratrooper and former commander of the 509th Parachute Infantgry in rugged Southern Italy fighting, arrived to take command of the Regiment. Colonel Cronk left for new duties with Fifth Army Headquarters.
The slightly built, active, youthful Yarborough, was the man destined to lead the regiment through the remainder of the Italian campaign.
On the 23rd of February, the 473rd was attached to the 92nd (colored) Infantry Division. The next day, Lt. Duane Nordenskjold, of Redwing, Minn., Sgt. William J. Morrison, of Detroit, Mich., and Pfc. Michael R. Alexander of Cortland, N.Y., became the Regiment’s first casualties when their patrol encountered a minefield.
