Italians honor WWII 36th Infantry Division

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Italians honor WWII 36th Infantry Division Soldiers

SAN PIETRO INFINE, Italy - The highly revered 36th Infantry Division (ID) was the first American combat division to land on the continent of Europe. History has shown that the brave men filling its ranks made an impression on those they encountered during battle. Their unwavering dedication to free those oppressed by the Nazi Germans also impressed the world.

Located half way between Naples and Rome is one of the bloodiest battlefields from the Italian campaign of World War II. It was here in the Liri Valley that Allied Forces slowly battled their way to victory through San Pietro and Monte Cassino during late 1943 and early 1944, eventually liberating Rome from German forces.

The Battle of San Pietro

On Sept. 8, 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allied Forces. This surprise development made the Germans look on their former allies as one of their new enemies. As a result, Italy soon felt the full force of the German blitzkrieg. The Nazis ravaged the port of Naples, then moved toward the mountains on their way to their next target - the city of Rome.

German forces dug in for the winter along the San Pietro Infine and Monte Cassino area in order to block passage through the Liri Valley. They had the mountainous terrain to their advantage as Allied Forces fought treacherous winter conditions as well as intense German firepower.

While the Americans fought their way to the fortified mountainous defensive line, the Germans were enslaving and murdering the citizens of San Pietro, which the Nazis had occupied during September.

American troops first entered the hillside town San Pietro Infine Dec. 16-17, 1943.

The passageway through the Liri Valley leading to San Pietro was appropriately nicknamed "Death Valley." Together, the Fifth Army and its many subordinate units sustained 16,000 casualties during the costly advance to free the Italians from the death grip of the Nazis.

The original town of San Pietro Infine was completely destroyed. What little remains now is a reminder of the ravages of war.

Remembering liberation

San Pietro Mayor Fabio V'ecchiarino said his town's residents have honored the brave Allied Forces, and in particular the Soldiers of the 36th ID, annually since December 2002.

This year, local residents, Italian and U. S. military representatives, including guest Maj. Gen. Jose S. Mayorga, commanding general of the Texas-based 36th ID, braved skin-chilling cold winds for the special remembrance ceremony. Italian and U.S Army color guard members placed wreaths at monuments recognizing the men of the 1st Italian Motor Group and the 36th ID.

"As we lay the wreaths in honor of all Italian and U.S. Soldiers, let us not forget the sacrifices they made," General Mayorga said during his speech. "They were part of the greatest generation of our time. The survivors and their descendants want to ensure that the future generations of San Pietro remember their history. We are humbled by their desire to preserve the memory of the 36th ID at the Battle of San Pietro."

General Mayorga said the revered "T-Patch" division suffered one of the top 10 highest casualty rates of all U.S. Army divisions during World War II. Estimates indicate approximately 1,400 36th ID troops lost their lives in one week while fighting the Germans.

Mayor V'ecchiarino said roughly 100 people who personally experienced the Battle of San Pietro during 1943 still live in the hillside town. One such resident is Antonio Adolfo Zambardi, who owns a local coffee shop. He was only 11 years old when the German forces invaded his village, but as expected, he remembers it very well.

"Many people ran away into the trees to get away from the bombs," Mr. Zambardi said through an interpreter. "I hid in the caves with many others. The bombardment lasted 18 days until the Allied Forces ran them out."

The mayor said the frightened residents were finally able to enjoy a better life after three months of suffering at the hands of the Germans. The approximate 1,800 inhabitants of San Pietro were vastly outnumbered by thousands of Nazi soldiers.

During the Nazi occupation, San Pietro men were forced into grueling labor details. The Germans showed little mercy. They murdered even children and the town's priest.

"The liberation of our town was possible with the help of the American troops," said Mayor V'ecchiarino. "We will always remember them on the first available Sunday nearest Dec. 15 by having a ceremony."

A transplanted local hero

American Herman Chanowitz, who is now in his 90s, was a captain in the 2nd Tactical Air Communications Squadron and was assigned to the 36th ID. He possesses first-hand knowledge of the bloody Battle of San Pietro Infine.

He survived it.

During one of his repeated trips to Naples, during which time the Allied Forces were, as Mr. Chanowitz calls it, "stuck," he met a "beautiful Italian girl," Adriana, who later became his wife. After the war, he and his bride moved to Chicago.

Mr. Chanowitz and his wife returned to her homeland in 1978. The move across the Atlantic offered both of them a new perspective of their historic and fateful past. They moved to the San Pietro region where he is now near his wartime memories on a daily basis.

He works with the town's mayor; helping preserve the memory of the Allied Forces Italian campaign and the heroic achievements of thousands of its members. Although many people consider Mr. Chanowitz a hero, he discourages such comments. He said he was merely doing his duty.

"We handled the air reconnaissance, the bombing, whatever the regimental commander needed from us," said Mr. Chanowitz.

Upon his initial arrival at San Pietro during December 1943, Mr. Chanowitz said he was appalled by the conditions of the town and its residents.

"War is hell, war is hell," he said repeatedly. "People didn't have basic food items, they didn't have anything. We shared our food, blankets and other supplies with them … whatever we could spare."

Mr. Chanowitz explained that, following the liberation of San Pietro, the Allied Forces were bogged down in the area and incapable of making advancements on Cassino, which the Germans were ferociously defending from the commanding view provided them by their mountainous stronghold.

"We were in this area for several months, so I got to know the people of San Pietro," Mr. Chanowitz said.

Now, decades later, the current residents of San Pietro are getting to know more about the sacrifices of him and his fellow 36th ID liberators.

During the remembrance ceremony, Mr. Chanowitz's military service was honored by the 36th ID and the State of Texas with the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal with its distinctive scarlet red cloth and its gold star.

Future San Pietro museum

Mayor V'ecchiarino said a new San Pietro museum, located near the ruins of the original town, is being stocked and arranged and is in need of items from the historic World War II battle.

"It is important to exchange information and items such as photographs, uniforms and any other things someone might have," Mayor V'ecchiarino said. "Perhaps someone's grandfather or other family member has something. We can build a partnership for the future based on our shared history."

Jeff Hunt, director of the Brig. Gen. John C.L. Scribner Texas Military Forces Museum, said he and his staff of volunteers are currently working on a care package of historic items to share with the budding San Pietro museum.

"We're pulling items from our collection that are typical of that era," Mr. Hunt said. "We'll try to give them an enlisted man's uniform with the wool pants and wool shirt with a T-patch on it. We also have a print of the T-Patchers in Italy that was commissioned by the National Guard Bureau."

Mr. Hunt said providing a compact disk of images from that era is one of his goals. He also wants to remind everyone that the museum is always looking for items from any Texas unit serving in any conflict.

"World War II is a backbone of our museum, but we welcome anything," Mr. Hunt said.