American Cemetery and Memorial in Florence, Italy

The American Cemetery and Memorial just south of Florence, Italy

Older Italians love and revere Americans because of the heroic actions the US Armed Forces that liberated the Italian Peninsula from the Axis back in World War II. Late into the war, the US Fifth Army and the British Army landed in Sicily and slowly moved their way up the Italian peninsula. They liberated Rome in June 1944. However, some of the most intense fighting happened in the foothills of the Apennines in the fall and winter of 1944. The opposition army surrendered their hold on Northern Italy shortly before May 1945 and the end of the European theater of World War II. Here is a link for more information.

There is a nice map and description of the progression of the movement of the Allies up the Italian Peninsula.

Mom, Dad and I visited on June 1st, the day after Memorial Day. We had the place all to ourselves, but the juxtaposition of the Italian and US flags was incredibly moving.

The crosses (and Star of David for the fallen Jewish soldiers) are set out in big arcs on a hillside. Stunning. The fallen, but missing, are commemorated on a wall on the main memorial structure itself.

I hope every soldier gets memorialized in such a beautiful and honorable way.