TWO VERY SPECIAL GUESTS
 One of the features which contributed to making the Barberino event a memorable one was undoubtedly the participation of two very special guests – American WWII veterans Mr. Melvin Buschman, former Lieutenant in the 91st Infantry Division and Mr. Carl “Dutch” Snyder, former Sergeant in the 34th Infantry Division. Both units fought in the Florence and Mugello area, and both wished to be represented in our event- a wish we were highly honored to fulfill.
Mr. Melvin Buschman was our host on past occasions, and we keep in touch with him regularly through his son Jim and daughter-in-law Deborah. We looked forward to meeting him again in Italy, and whished to make it sure he and his family received a nice and warm reception. We hope we succeeded. Mel stayed with us throughout the rally, riding a jeep under a cold, cloudy sky, always keeping his good and friendly mood – at age 80-plus!
Carl was to be in Barberino on April 22, together with Mr. Patrick Skelly from the 34th Infantry Division Association, for a previously scheduled ceremony. When he was told of our rally, however, he decided to come back on April 25 and participate in the parade remembering the arrival of his Division in Barberino in September 1944. It goes without saying that his wish was a very welcome one on our part! His stamina and good mood were as much enviable as Mel’s! By way of curiosity, Carl, who was in a recce unit at the time (and was thus one of the few GIs who REALLY rode Jeeps in WWII) is depicted in a famous photo of US troops taken in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore on April 21, 1945.
Local authorities and the population gave a very warm and affectionate welcome to the two veterans. Their meeting with “Bordino”, a well-known partisan from Barberino who fought in the “Arno” division up to the liberation of Florence, and went on helping the Allies thereafter, was particularly moving.
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