SCENE FROM THE NORTHERN COAST OF SICILY, looking toward the west. At left is the San Fratello Ridge; at right is the village of Acquedolci. The fight for the San Fratello Ridge was unusually severe. Highway 113, the main axis of advance along the north coast from Palermo to Messina, follows the shore here. The enemy would blow the bridges, mine the approaches, and hold the top of each mountain ridge as long as possible, and then retreat behind the next ridge.] [Illustration: SICILY SAN FRATELLO RIDGE. Top: the ridge is in the upper left of the picture, Torrente Furiano in the right foreground; bottom: view of the ridge on Highway 113 from the northwest. San Fratello Ridge was taken on 8 August after bitter enemy resistance.] [Illustration] [Illustration: SICILY CORONIA VALLEY, typical of the valleys separating the mountain ridges along the northern coast. The valleys provided little concealment from the enemy in position on top of the ridges. The bridge spans were usually long and easily demolished. Note that both highway and railroad bridges are blown in this picture.] [Illustration: SICILY PROBING FOR MINES AT A BRIDGE-CROSSING SITE. The mine detector reacts to metal; whether the metal was a mine or a shell fragment had to be determined by probing and digging, usually with a bayonet. (Mine detector SCR 625.)] [Illustration: SICILY BRIDGE BUILDING. In the valleys this task presented no particular problem once the enemy had been chased off the mountain ridge overlooking the bridge site. However, near Messina, where the road in some places is hewn out of the cliffs overhanging the sea, the problem was more difficult. The air compressor (Le Roi) mounted on a 2½-ton truck (in picture above) was used for operating power-driven saws, hammers, and drills.] [Illustration: SICILY BROLO BEACH ON THE NORTH COAST OF SICILY. This is one of the several localities where U. S. forces made amphibious landings behind the enemy lines. Highway 113 runs along the hills, the railroad near the beach. The village of Brolo is at upper part of picture. The landing was supported by aircraft and naval gunfire.] [Illustration: SICILY ENGINEERS REPAIRING A BREAK IN HIGHWAY 113, on the north coast, caused by German demolition. The locality is Capo Calavâ where the road practically overhangs the sea.] [Illustration: SICILY MEDIC TREATING A BLISTER on an infantryman’s foot. Medical aid men were present at the scene of every action. They were unarmed and were identified by an arm band with a red cross, or a red cross painted on the helmet, or both.] [Illustration: SICILY