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For the fifth consecutive year we have taken part in the Memorial Day celebrations at the WWII Florence American Cemetery and Memorial, which took place on Monday, May 30, under a blazing sun.
This year we were asked to set up a small camp site in the green space besides the burial areas. A 2 ½ -ton GMC truck and two Jeeps were parked alongside a pup tent complete with a .30”-cal. M1919A4 light machine gun, a M1 60-mm mortar (both inactivated according to existing regulations, of course!), plus communication and individual equipment, Coleman gasoline stoves, rations, vintage magazines and newspapers, etc. This sort of miniature open air museum aroused the curiosity of many visitors, as well as the joy of attending veterans, offering living testimony on the life of those we were there to honor and remember. As usual, part of our group took part in the official celebrations at the Memorial monument, while others acted as guides at the camp exhibition. All of us, of course, wearing original WWII-era uniforms.
At the end of the official celebrations, we had the chance of meeting the President of the Italian Senate, Sen. Marcello Pera, who greeted us very kindly and joined us for a few group pictures. We also met the American Ambassador, Mr. Mel Sembler, and other political and military personalities, surprised, as usual, to see young Italians wearing WWII US Army Uniforms at the ceremony.
Mr. Philip Scaglia, veteran from the 361st Infantry regiment of the 91st Division, was also present at the ceremony. In his flawless Italian, he extended to us the salute of his fellow veterans of the 91st Division Association. We took a picture together in front of the Monument remembering his fallen comrades inside the Cemetery.
We wish to thank the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial staff, our friends from Livergnano, particularly Mr. Umberto Magnani, the 88th Blue Devils re-enactment group from Imola, the 10th Mountain Division Brothers re-enactment group from Montese, and all others who contributed to the event.
A special mention to the Fotocronache agency of Firenze for the pictures
Filippo Spadi
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