While vacationing in Italy earlier this month, I sent wife and daughter on a shopping spree in Rome and caught a train towards Nettuno to visit the ABMC Cemetery there. The Cemetery is one of two ABMC cemeteries in Italy, the other being near Florence which I visited back in 2011 ( see http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/118814-florence-american-cemetery-memorial/ )

 

The Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial holds 7,861 of American military war dead. The majority of these men died in the liberation of Sicily (July 10 to August 17, 1943); in the landings in the Salerno Area (September 9, 1943) and the heavy fighting northward; in the landings at Anzio Beach and expansion of the beachhead (January 22, 1944 to May 1944); and in air and naval support in the regions.

A wide central mall leads to the memorial which consists of a chapel to the south, a peristyle, and a map room to the north. On the white marble walls of the chapel are engraved the names of 3,095 of the missing.

The map room contains a bronze relief map and four fresco maps depicting the military operations in Sicily and Italy. At each end of the memorial are ornamental Italian gardens.

The Sicily-Rome American Cemetery lies at the north edge of the town of Nettuno, Italy, which is immediately east of Anzio, and 38 miles south of Rome.

 

 

More info: http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/sr.php

 

 

 

Entrance gate

General Views of the cemetery

In the center of the Memorial is the 'Brothers in Arms' statue (note both Army and Navy dogtags)

 

 

The chapel with the walls of the missing...

 

 

More views looking back towards the entrance

One of two MOH awardees buried there

Headstones....

509PIB

More

1-3-4 Ranger Bns

FSSF

Awesome photography Johan! I appreciate your time to travel there, take the photo's and then share them with us. One day I hope visit some of the WWI and WWII American Cemeteries in Europe especially Henri-Chapelle, I've got a special grave to visit there.

Thank you for sharing.

Wonderful presentation, Johan. I have had the honor to visit several ABMC Cemeteries in France. Each of them beautiful and magnificently maintained. Rome-Sicily is the same. I am proud that our country remembers our fallen heroes. The British War Graves Commission is the same. Your pics are fantastic. Thanks again. Bobgee

Thanks, I tryto visit the ABMC sites whenever I find myself in the region and have managed to visit quite a few both in Europe and the US... They all look immaculate!

Welcome back Johan. Fantastic pictures! I've vacationed there myself in the month of August....it was pretty darned hot!!

Many Thanks.Always notice how well their maintained compared to ours here in the US

Legendary units. Thanks for the pictures. I will share the 36th engr grave marker picture with a 36th engr

vet who is a good friend.

Thank you for posting! Here in Germany the anti-americanism is high, some years ago a neighbour asked me why there is a "Stars and Stripes" on my mast, If I support the american imperialism. I asked him where Germany will stay without the USA. And I asked him is this imperialism if a nation want`s only a place to bury his death fallen to help other nations? Stars and Stripes are still on the mast - my neighbour didn`t talk to me since this day.

thanks for the sharing RIP héros

thanks for sharing, made it there by chance once and impressive

Here is another grave at Nettuno.

 

 

PFC Henry J. Guarnere

47th Armored Medical Battalion

1st Armored Division

 

 

Pfc Henry Guarnere was the brother of Sgt. "Wild Bill" Guarnere, Co E, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division from "BAND OF BROTHERS" fame.

In the movie, Sgt Guanere learned of the death of his brother the day before jumping into Normandy when he accidently put on the wrong coat and read the letter in it. The letter said his brother was killed at Monte Cassino. His comment was: "Where in the L is Monte Cassino".

 

I find this odd that Pfc Guarnere died in January 1944 but his brother was not "informed" until June---exactly 5 months to the date. Would the Army have tried to keep this information secret? I'm sure not.

Years ago, I wrote Bill Guarnere and he politely replied and loaned me a copy of a photo of his brother. I received 1 more letter after I returned the letter. He signed off with something like--- "I think I made the German's pay for his death".

PFC Henry Guarnere earned a Silver Star Medal in North Africa for risking his life to render medical aid to a wound soldier. He was killled in action on 6 Janyary 1944; this date matches up with the 1st Armored Division's attack to capture Monte Porchia. This was the first battle on mainland Italy for the 1st Armored Division. The 1st Armored Division had landed in North Africa in November 1942 and sat out the campaign in Sicily.

 

Thank you for posting! Here in Germany the anti-americanism is high, some years ago a neighbour asked me why there is a "Stars and Stripes" on my mast, If I support the american imperialism. I asked him where Germany will stay without the USA. And I asked him is this imperialism if a nation want`s only a place to bury his death fallen to help other nations? Stars and Stripes are still on the mast - my neighbour didn`t talk to me since this day.

Well said! I spent over three years in Germany. Many of the critics of U.S. policy seemed to be former SS members. Interesting. Jack