10th Mountain Division – Italy Always 2006

“SEMPRE ITALIA”, IL TOUR DEI VETERANI

10thMountDiv_memorialSi chiama “Sempre Italia 2006. Return to Italy”, come recita la guida fatta stampare per l’occasione, il viaggio organizzato dalla “National Association of the 10th Mountain Division” sui campi di battaglia italiani della 2ª Guerra mondiale. Sull’aereo sono saliti 45 attempati veterani, in una comitiva di 203 persone tra parenti ed amici, che è arrivata a Roma lo scorso 28 maggio: in programma la rivisitazione dei luoghi dove la 10ª Divisione da montagna combatté 61 anni fa, lungo un percorso che rispecchia l’avanzata effettuata durante l’offensiva finale della campagna italiana. Li abbiamo incontrati a Lizzano in Belvedere, dove sul Monte Belvedere è sato inaugurato un monumento dedicato alla 10th Mountain Division.

Official visit 10th Mountain Division “Italia Semper 2006”

We had known for months about the official visit of the 10th Div. to Lizzano in Belvedere both from the friends of the Apennines who organized the reception, and from the United States where some veterans known in previous visits warned us
The days were not the best, especially on Friday 2 June when a heavy freezing rain and an unusual wind for this season limited all the scheduled activities. Despite the adverse weather conditions we managed to stay with our veteran friends and climb with them to Monte Belvedere for the inauguration of the stone memorial dedicated to the Division. The following day was dedicated to closing the visit with the parade through the streets of Lizzano and the closing ceremony. Our renactors together with the "Brothers on the Mountain" group prepared a small parade in period uniform complete with sled.

There was no shortage of moments of relaxation where we were able to talk with veterans and their families; conversing with them in front of the history books they experienced was an indescribable emotion. All our efforts to stay with them for these two days, the journey, the bad weather, were shattered in the face of these unplanned but exceptional conversations where the protagonists talk. The veterans and their families, very organised, wore an identification tag with their name and surname and department and it was really interesting to see the acronyms of regiments that you have only read about in books, worn by these nice elderly people. It won't be easy, but we don't want it either, to forget the faces and expressions of these veterans who, in the end, are the engine of our enthusiasm.

See you next time friends of the 10th Mountain Division!!

Filippo Spadi 2006.