88th Infantry Division – Italian Campaign World War II

A later celebration of the 88th Infantry Division in Italy during WWII.

“This route map is dedicated to the memory of those members who gave their lives while serving during 344 days of combat liberating Italy.” – Text, upper center.

This colorful map of Italy provides a basic, but informative, overview of the 88th Infantry ‘Blue Devil’ Division’s fight through Italy as part of the Fifth U.S. Army during World War II. Nearly 2,500 soldiers in the division were killed in combat during the campaign, according to the statistics (i.e. Roll of Honor) proudly presented in the upper right. An inset plan in the lower left, deliberately antiquated, shows the path taken through liberated Rome on June 4, 1944.

Designed and copywritten by John D. Smith, Sr. in 1991. It was sold the following year by the 88th Infantry Division Association at the unit’s 50th anniversary celebration. The map is uncommon on the market (this is the only example I’ve had) and listed only once in WorldCat as of May 2024, at the Library of Congress. According to a website dedicated to the history of the Blue Devils, only 1,700 copies were originally printed. OCLC# 27143871.

Source.