In the first of a three-part series, guest author Mary Stevens highlights the accomplishments of America’s 10th Mountain Division, a specially-trained Army unit that succeeded in combat in ways no one else had before. Post-war veterans set about changing Colorado’s image and economy well into the future. Look for “Part 2: Ski Towns and Industry” and “Part 3: A Legacy of Innovations.”
Formation and Warfare
My grandfather died many years before I was born, so I only knew what my dad and grandmother told me of him and his love for the outdoors. I grew up looking at his old army picture and medals in a shadowbox hanging on the wall (pictured above). Little did I know my grandfather was not only a veteran of World War II, but he fought for one of the most important units in the campaign to free Europe from Nazi control: The 10th Mountain Division. The unit used their knowledge of mountain warfare as well as their training in skiing and cold-climate survival to defeat the Nazis in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. Afterwards, many men from the 10th came back to Colorado because they had fallen in love with the area during training. They opened ski areas and were responsible for creating the ski industry of Colorado, a major part of Colorado’s identity.
Formation of the 10th Mountain Division. Influenced by the Finnish troops who were combating Russia by fighting on skis in the mountains during the Finnish-Russian War in 1939, the 10th Mountain Division was formed for mountain warfare, becoming an official unit on November 15, 1941. Recruits came from all over the country, and even from as far away as Austria. Entry required three letters of reference attesting to the recruit’s physical fitness and skiing, mountain climbing, or other athletic ability or experience. More men were inspired to join after Pearl Harbor was bombed because they wanted to do their part in the war, which led to significant growth in the unit and the need for a larger training camp, which is when the army looked to Camp Hale.
Training at Camp Hale. Camp Hale sat in the Pando Valley of Eagle County, Colorado surrounded by steep mountains at an elevation of roughly 10,000 feet, which made it an optimal training ground for the new unit of mountain troops. Ski lessons were provided to enlisted men and officers alike by whoever knew how, regardless of rank, which helped develop camaraderie. The troops not only learned how to ski, they also learned how to snowshoe, hike and rock climb with 100-pound packs.
To survive the cold in severe temperatures, they used special gear, vehicles, and clothing created especially for them. The unit participated in a training maneuver called the D-Series, in which troops climbed nearby peaks and spent six weeks participating in war games in the dead of winter at an altitude above 13,000 feet, all to prepare them for a mission in the mountains of Italy.
Liberating Italy. General George P. Hayes was assigned to the 10th on Thanksgiving of 1944 to lead them on their mission in Italy. The Germans had held Riva Ridge in the Apennine Mountains for a long time, and multiple attempts to take them out had failed. In mid-January of 1945, the 10th approached the area in secret, hiding in small villages, ready to face the Germans who were dug into the mountains. Riva Ridge was covered in ice when the patrols went to search for routes up the 2000-foot cliff face, but they had some luck when the ice melted overnight, making a climb possible. This approach had never been attempted by other Allied forces.
The 10th’s men sneaked up the mountain and climbed the ridge in the dead of night, taking position while a morning fog still hung over the area. The Germans were caught completely by surprise. The 10th chased the Germans out of Italy over the next few months, eventually leading to the German surrender on May 2, 1945. General Mark Clark described the division’s actions as “one of the most vital and brilliant of the campaign.”
Coming Back to Colorado. After the War ended, the men of the 10th Mountain Division came home to their families in the United States, but they didn’t leave their love of the mountains behind. These men took their outdoor training to the mountains of Colorado, where they established the state’s first ski resorts.
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Mary Stevens is pursuing her Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational and Strategic Communication at UCCS. She enjoys spending time with family, especially her fiance, parents, and soon-to-be in-laws.
