The Florence American Cemetery and Memorial is located 7 miles south of Florence. 4402 who were killed in the WWII Italian campaign are buried here. The cemetery site was liberated on August 3, 1944 (the day I was born).
Tuscan evergreen trees stand as sentries by the entrance.
A staff of 15 maintains the cemetery and memorial.
The entrance to the cemetery
(bridge across the Greve river which borders one side)
Two paths in the center of the cemetery
lead to the memorial.
Crosses flank both sides of the paths to the memorial.
Many names on the crosses were from the Midwest.
Medal of Honor recipients
have gold inscriptions.
The memorial
Memorial wall murals and inscriptions
summarize the Italian campaign.
The wall in the back of the memorial has
1409 names of men missing in action.
Most of the names were from bomber squads.
One of the memorial inscriptions.
"Such were the men who lie here.
They received each for his own
memory praise that will never die
and with it the grandest of all
sepulchers a home in the
minds of men."
Walking among the crosses gives you pause
as you sense the tears of their parents and families at home.
If only our grandchildren could comprehend the sacrifice.
If only we could understand.
