Patriots

This is a story that needs to be told of the fate of three small villages in the path of a bitter, hard fought battle of WWII.  The action took place in a section of the battle front assigned to the 91st Infantry Division astride Hwy 65 in the rugged terrain of the North Apennine Mountains of Italy.

As the fighting moved through this area, the devastation of war left each of these small towns in complete ruins and as the Germans withdrew under the fierce attack of the Infantry and the continuous shelling of mortar and artillery fire the villagers fled their homes to the safety of the caves in the nearby hills.

The purpose of the story  here, fifty five years later, in the form of photos, is to introduce to you, the viewer, a remarkable group of our loyal Italian patriots.  Their country having been liberated by the allied troops and in their desire to show their gratitude, they have for many years represented the 91st Division and troops of the 5th Army by participating in the many ceremonies at our cemeteries and monuments throughout Italy.

We are indeed indebted to these good men and women that honor our fallen soldiers.  On their own initiative they have erected monuments in Loiano, Monghidoro, and Livergnano honoring the troops of the 91st Division.

I hope that you will view these photos and appreciate the loyalty of our fine Italian allies.  They have further honored us by joining our association as members and donors in support of our efforts to "Preserve the past for the future".

A note about Taps

If any of you have ever been to a military funeral in which taps were played; this brings out a new meaning of it.

    We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, "Taps." It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes. But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.

    Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead. The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army. The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted.  The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral. The request was turned down since the soldier was a confederate. But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.  The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform. This wish was granted.
The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" ... used at military funerals was born.