Italy, Texas Guard honor merged histories

Courtesy Photo | Texas Army National Guardsman Col. Charles Aris of the 36th Infantry Division, walking center, and wreath-bearers Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Horn and Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Saffell formally presented a wreath at the German Cemetery in Caira near Cassino, Italy, in remembrance of the 20,027 German soldiers killed during World War II. The division color guard, left, was joined by the official colors of the German regiment predominately buried at the cemetery.  

ITALY

06.10.2013

Courtesy Story

36th Infantry Division (TXARNG)

By Spc. Christina Clardy
36th Infantry Division Public Affairs, Texas Army National Guard

CASSINO, Italy – Ten soldiers from the 36th Infantry Division of the Texas Army National Guard, trekked across the Atlantic Ocean to central Italy, recently, to honor those who were killed during the liberation of Italy in World War II.

Military representatives from half a dozen countries, several Italian veterans associations, the 36th Inf. Div. color guard team, and the Italian Army honor guard team presented national honors as official delegations laid wreaths at the “T-Patch” memorial on the hill of Sant’Angelo, and at the German Cemetery located near the heart of Cassino on Sunday, the San Pietro Infine monument and the Polish cemetery May 19-20.

“This year is the 69th anniversary of the battle of Monte Cassino,” said Giuseppe Golini Petrarcone, mayor of Cassino. “We take great pride in remembering our history, and make efforts to put those lessons into our laws and life. It is good that our friends from the 36th (Inf. Div.) were able to come again this year.”

After arriving in Italy, the 10-person group toured Cassino, Corte de San Pietro Infine and the caves of San Pietro for two days learning the history of the unit and the significance of the trip, and meeting with local mayors and certain important persons of the region.

The 36th Infantry Division Museum, located at the home of the unit on Camp Mabry, Texas, continues to work in partnership with the town of San Pietro Infine to build the local museum and stabilize the ruins of old San Pietro.

“Almost all the men of old San Pietro were fighting in the war or had been killed leaving only women, children and the elderly here,” explained local Italian historian and 36th Inf. Div. guide Michele di Lonardo during the tour of the ruins, which are built into the mountainside. “When the town was taken over by the Germans, the people fled into the caves and they lived there for months until the Americans pushed the Germans out in December 1943.”
On Sunday morning, national military representatives from Italy, German, Poland, Britain and the U.S., and a dozen veteran organizations met at the German Cemetery in Caira near Cassino to lay wreaths honoring the 20,027 German Soldiers killed in World War II in the surrounding mountain ranges and countryside.

The final ceremony, back dropped with fields of red “memory” poppy flowers, lush green vineyards, and the staggering Apennine Mountains, was held at the 36th Inf. Division monument at Sant’Angelo, which overlooks the Rapido River. Today the 30-foot, rapids-fast river is a more constrained vision compared to its vast width during the war.

“The German Army destroyed the dam up river,” said di Lonardo. “It was strategic to cause difficulties for the U.S. who were coming in from the south.”

More than 1,700 “T-Patchers” were killed in two attempted night crossings in the flooded river in hopes of securing a foothold on the hill as the Germans rained down heavy machine gun fire and mortar rounds.

“The history of the Italian people – the people of Cassino and San Pietro – and the 36th Infantry Division became one on that night,” said Col. Charles Aris, representative of the 36th Inf. Division commander. “Our blood and your blood was mixed; we lost fathers, sons, brothers and uncles just as you lost your men, your children, your wives and your friends. The sacrifices made to survive and the sacrifices made to reestablish freedom and safety to this area was a heavy toll for us both – but it was necessary and it returned peace and hope to you and your families.”

After the presentation of honors and wreaths at the monument, the procession of color guards and veteran assemblies walked down a winding street through the city to the bridge spanning the river. A small poppy wreath and hundreds of thousands of flower petals were then sprinkled over the edge of the bridge into the river by a throng of officials, military members and locals in memorial of the lives lost there.

• Date Taken: 06.10.2013
• Date Posted: 06.11.2013 11:11
• Story ID: 108452
• Location: IT