Happy V day to all the Vets... My father was in General Clarks 5 the Army in 1944 and a part of Allied Military Government . He was an AMC officer ,got married and the next day was on a boat to North Africa , Because he spoke Fluent Italian his company would re-establish Democracy and provide food and help to all the Italian cities as the Germans retreated Sicily and Southern Italy The Pulitzer prize book " a Bell for Adano" written by John Heresy is about someone similar to my father as a AMG officer serving in Italy. The book was made into a movie and my father knew John Hersey . My father entered Rome on June 4th with Gen Clarks 5th Army as the Germans evacuated the city He stayed at the Nord Roma Hotel and the next morning went down stairs to get a cappuccino and the D-day invasion was taking place. Studs Turkel the great writer who was a war correspondent wrote " front pages for a day and back pages for a lifetime". D-day made all the headlines in America, The capture of Rome by allied forces made the back pages. Clark was supposed to not take Rome but ignored Eisenhower and instead of capturing the German Army as they retreated. Patton who was already reprimanded for hitting someone wanted Clark fired as allied commander in Italy for allowing the entire German Army to escape from Rome.
Vets day and my dad
daddy.. my father had so many opinions and beliefs I loved hearing his stories . He said Patton was hated by his troops and when we went to see the movie together Patton he said George C Scott might win an academy award for his performance { and he did win an Oscar} but he was not well liked by his troops. My father said he took risks and put a lot of his soldiers at risk. My father always said his commanding officer Gen Clark of the 5th Army was a terrible general and show boat . He had a camera man assigned to him to take pictures of his conquests in Italy and did a few photo ops and retakes to make him look better. My father also hated the American Red Cross because they charged for coffee. It's pretty interesting to hear him tell stories about famous people that we know of. When Clark ignored Eisenhower and captured Rome allowing the entire German Army to escape . He was in a jeep waving at the Italians celebrating the liberation of Rome in the streets . He was in a jeep with an Italian general who knew nothing about Rome Clark was going to the Victor Emamuel plaza where Mussoini had given many of his fascist speeches. The mayor of Rome was there to give Clark the key to the city. My father was in a jeep way behind the parade but Clark had no one that knew the streets of Rome So the parade got lost . Finally Clark realized the parade was lost stopped and asked a guy on a corner with his bicycle where is the Victor Emanuel Monument. The guy told Clark to follow him and in 5 minutes they were on the correct way to meet the Mayor following an Italian by stander with a bike In Atkinsons book about Clark entering Rome he tells that story . The American Army had a few jeeps and they were worried about a German sniper that could shoot Clark .My father was pretty far back in the parade but my uncle would always kid my father and tell me " your father was a decoy in a jeep . My uncle was a driver in the Red Ball express at the battle of the Bulge. The two of them would make fun of each other . My father used to tell us that he sat on his ass during the entire War and got a purple heart because the Germans shot him in the ass.
One of the most amazing stories was My father left Ft Dix and was sent to North Africa, My uncle was also drafted . After 11 days at sea the convoy arrives in North Africa The entire Army hits those beaches see's the Mediterrian Sea Its Blue ..real blue.. About 10,000 soldiers with their boxer under wear run into the water and my father see's my uncle coming out of the water . My uncle says to my father " Joe this isn't Orchard beach like in the Bronx " They hug each other and can't believe they see each other in North Africa. My uncle was dating my fathers sister and when the war was over they married . Unreal My uncle was in intelligence and part of Donovans company which I believe was the beggining of the CIA .. anyway when the was was over and my father started at the UN he got my uncle a job there and he worked there for 40 years.
thank you for the thread
my grandfather and my namesake served WW2 Under Gen Patton. he was a wingman for Pattons caravan riding a motorcycle a few miles looking for land mines and the enemy ahead of his arrival.
Always found his life stories facinating.
My great grandfather born in 1866 served in army from 1884-1890. He was born 1 year after my great great grandpa imagrated from a part of russia that turned out to be lithuania a year later
My dad did Vietnam before it became a blowup 1961 -1963
I was in USN July 25 1983-- 1987.
I remember as a student at Camp Darby elementary school on Veterans day or Memorial day we would take a school trip to the American Cemetery in Florence e would put red popies plastic flowers on everyone graves Camp Darby was in charge of cutting the grass and keeping he cemetery in tip top order. If you "you tube American Cemetery in Florence there is few videos : flight is one of them. I remember my father always saying if Clark surrounded Rome instead of letting the German escape many of these graves wouldn't be here . Clark wanted to be the 1st conquer of Rome since Attlila the Hun .. If some can make a copy and put it here from You tube. It's the "American Cemetery in Florence ".. its pretty powerful.. Today all the tour buses pass the Cemetery before they get to Venice and the tour guide will tell everyone on the PA " if you look to your left you can see the America Cemetery as we go by .. But the buses never stop . Its only mentioned which is pretty sad. So many American soldiers are buried there and they only get a quick mention on a Tour bus PA. As a young school kid growing up I remember the Kool aide the school provided never had enough sugar,
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