During World War II, days before German forces in Italy surrendered, conflict was still strong in the northern area of Italy at Lago di Garda. During the last week of April 1945, three DUKWs, the U.S. Army's six-wheel amphibious truck, were lost and Col. William Darby, first commander of the U.S. Army Rangers and later 10th Mountain Division assistant division command, was killed by enemy artillery.

United States Army Article