Photo By Staff Sgt. Cary Smith | U.S. and Italian military officials, partisan and veteran associations, local...... read more read more
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The ceremony started at Piazza Ellero dei Mille and marked the 73rd anniversary of the Allied and Italian Resistance forces releasing Italy from Nazi occupation.
A wreath was placed at a memorial statue to honor the Allies’ efforts and to remember the tens of thousands of lives lost in Italy during WWII.
By 1943, the Italian Resistance, made mostly of secret paramilitary fighters called partisans, had begun to assist Allied forces. Nazi troops swept into Italy, taking over regions throughout the country after Italy signed the Armistice Treaty on September 8th.
As a response, Allies began a military campaign from Salerno and Naples to take back Italy from the Nazis. The resistance consisted of more than 300,000 armed fighters, made of foreign military and partisans, some of whom were women.
Each major victory brought American and Italian troops closer to the war raging in the North. The Germans were pushed out of southern Italy when Allies re-captured Rome. From there, the Resistance looked towards Florence, Genoa and eventually the Alps.
From September 1943 to April 1945, more than 60,000 Allied troops died, and of those, 32,000 were Americans. The largest casualties were reported during the battles near Rome and Florence.
Seventy three years later in Pordenone, citizens gathered to honor the courageous efforts by the Resistance.
“I was very proud to attend and represent the U.S. military at this ceremony,” said Col. Brenda Waters, 31 Medical Group commander. “Everyone was welcoming to the U.S. presence here and I’m thankful that our two countries fought together during the war.”
The Mayor of Pordenone, Alessandro Ciriani, spoke to those in attendance, followed by Loris Parpinel, the president of the Partisans Association of Pordenone.
During Ciriani’s speech, he spoke of the troubled times Italy experienced during the war when Nazi forces occupied the country and how thankful Italy is to the U.S. for working with the partisans to liberate the country.
After the speeches, a marching band led a parade from the Piazza Ellero dei Mille to two other areas of Pordenone to lay a second and third wreath.
“I noticed during the parade that younger generations stood with older generations, watching and learning their country’s history first-hand,” said Waters. “I believe it’s important we always remember how Americans and Italians fought together, that we remember history and avoid repeating the bad.”
As the third wreath was laid, the final salute given, and the last bugle note rang out, the crowd took a moment of silence and departed the square. April 25th will always be Italy’s Liberation Day and will tell the tale of how lasting partnerships and positive outcomes can come from adversity.
| Date Taken: | 04.25.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.26.2018 09:52 |
| Story ID: | 274591 |
| Location: | PORDENONE, IT |
| Web Views: | 251 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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