The ninth volume in Admiral Morison's history takes up the story of American naval activities in the Mediterranean where Volume II left off, and covers three major amphibious operations - the invasion of Sicily (Husky), and the capture of the Salerno beachhead (Avalanche), and the long Anzio beachhead struggle (Shingle). In all three, the United States Navy distinguished itself, both for impeccable performance in landing the Army where it wanted to go, and in supporting with naval gunfire the troops fighting ashore.<br><br>As the operations in this volume were both joint and combined, it covers a great many besides those of the United States Navy. It provides a balanced account of Mediterranean operations in 1943-1944. Admiral Morison relates the individual exploits of American bluejackets; but he also discusses higher strategy: the British concept of nourishing operations in the "Sea of Destiny" at the expense of the build-up for Normandy (Overlord).<br><br>This is but one of the many controversial subjects covered in this volume. Morrison author considered that the whole plan of the Sicilian operation was ill conceived, that the evacuation of three German divisions from Sicily could and should have been prevented, that the Italian armistice was woefully bungled, and that the hard-fought Anzio operation was a mistake. He concluded, however, that the Italian campaign, like the Wilderness campaign of 1864, "was fought because it had to be fought."