Wednesday, 30 May 1945 dawned as the first Memorial Day after World War II ended in Europe.\u00a0 War still raged in the Pacific; it would continue there for another 3 months.\u00a0 But in the US and Europe it was a day for somber ceremonies and remembrances of lost comrades.<\/p>\n
This was especially true at US cemeteries in Europe, where tens of thousands of US war dead were buried.\u00a0 At some if not all of these ceremonies were held; many political figures and\/or senior military officers gave speeches.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure all of them were worthwhile, and paid appropriate tribute to the fallen.<\/p>\n
But one speech in particular that day was unique.\u00a0 It occurred at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sicily-Rome American Cemetery is near the modern Italian town of Nettuno, called Antium in antiquity.\u00a0 It lies within what had been the US sector of the Anzio beachhead – or “bitchhead,” as those who were trapped there for 4+ months came to call it.\u00a0 The cemetery was originally intended a temporary resting place for US dead from the Anzio landings and subsequent combat.\u00a0 It became a permanent resting place for US war dead.<\/p>\n Today, only 7,861 US fallen remain in eternal rest near Nettuno. However, the cemetery on 30 May 1945 held approximately 20,000 graves.\u00a0 Most were soldiers who were lost before the fall of Rome – in Sicily, at Salerno, or at Anzio.\u00a0 (Some years later, the US government gave families the choice to allow fallen relatives to remain with their comrades or be repatriated.\u00a0 Many of those originally buried near Nettuno – about 60% – were repatriated.)<\/p>\n A number of VIPs were present at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery that day.\u00a0 Some were senior military officers; some were political figures.\u00a0 Several senators were in attendance.<\/p>\n One of the speakers at the ceremony was the US 5th Army Commander, LTG Lucian K. Truscott, Jr<\/a>.\u00a0 (Truscott would later receive a post-retirement honorary promotion and a 4th star, but at the time he still wore 3 stars.)\u00a0 He had returned to Italy from France to command 5th Army earlier that year.<\/p>\n When it was his turn to speak, Truscott moved to the podium.<\/p>\n What happened next was truly remarkable.<\/p>\n Before speaking, Truscott looked at the assembled visitors awaiting his remarks.\u00a0 He then turned away from the living. He turned and faced the graves of the fallen.<\/p>\n Rather than speak to the living, Truscott addresse<\/em>d those buried in the cemetery.\u00a0 He spoke in a quiet voice.<\/p>\n He apologized.<\/p>\n Sadly, no transcript or recording of Truscott\u2019s speech that day exists. But SGT Bill Mauldin (yes, the Stars and Stripes<\/em> journalist and cartoonist of \u201cWillie and Joe\u201d fame) was there.\u00a0 His account of the speech appears to be the best and most complete record that exists.<\/p>\n