The Big Red One — Tunisia
The North Africa campaign — American troops encounter the Afrika Korps for the first time at Kasserine Pass, a brutal introduction to experienced German armoured forces.
The Battle of Kasserine Pass (19-24 February 1943) was the US Army's first major engagement against the Wehrmacht. The inexperienced Americans were routed with 6,500 casualties. The defeat led to major changes in American command — Eisenhower replaced Fredendall with Patton — and accelerated the US Army's learning of modern armoured warfare.