The 1943 Naples post office bombing occurred on October 7, 1943, after the U.S. Fifth Army had captured Naples (October 1) and reached the Volturno River (October 6). The Central Post Office Building, an imposing structure completed in 1936 and located in the center of the city, was looted by the Nazi troops during the occupation and after their retreat was occupied by families made homeless by the bombing and destruction heaped on the city during the insurrection, known as the "Four days of Naples", that had taken place a few weeks earlier. On that morning a series of violent explosions ripped through the building and caused heavy damage to the surrounding buildings and the death of more than 100 people, including women, children and members of a 82nd Airborne Division unit. The unit was commanded by General Matthew B. Ridgway.