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A corner of Italy that is forever U.S.-friendly
International Herald Tribune ^ | Wednesday, May 19, 2004 | Alan Feuer

Posted on 05/19/2004 1:46:51 PM PDT by tricky_k_1972

NETTUNO, Italy

There is a piece of land along the coast an hour south of Rome that is a shrine to America. It is a lovely piece of land, well designed and well maintained, that spreads out over nearly 80 acres. It is big enough that the men who do such things need seven days to cut its grass.

It is the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial. Buried here are 7,862 Americans who died in combat in this country during World War II. Each has a marble headstone that is cleaned twice a year, by hand, with pumice stone and soap. There is a man who trims the hedges every morning. Another roams the grounds to look for weeds.

Angelo Perna is the chief gardener. He is deeply tanned, his face the color of a football. His hands are dark and rough, and he is missing an incisor from his bottom row of teeth.

Perna, 51, is not that interested in politics. But when you tend the graves of dead Americans, politics sometimes intervene.

He has watched the buses pull up to the gates, and watched the tourists in their sun hats wander out among the marble rows or lay a flower by a grave. "The people in these graves sacrificed their lives to give Italians liberty," he said. "There's a lot of talk about the war now, but maybe they are looking to the past."

Italy, like most of Europe, has been outraged by the images of Iraqi men in hoods and handcuffs, strapped to electrical devices or chained to bars in front of dogs.

Some in the opposition here have called on Rome to cancel President George W. Bush's visit to Italy in June. The other day, a cartoon on the front page of the country's leading paper showed the Statue of Liberty burning the feet of an Arab with her torch.

Yet Italy has maintained its deep devotion to America, a warm regard that has not cooled in the chilly winds of war. The country has about 3,000 soldiers in Iraq, and the government has promised that they will stay.

"There is a general sentiment that the United States has made a terrible error managing the war," said Renato Mannheimer, a professor of political science at the University of Milan. "But there is, and there has always been, a favorable attitude toward the U.S. as a whole."

The cemetery gets about 200,000 visitors a year, mostly non-Americans. The Italians are the steadiest contingent, and their visits have not stopped, even since the war.

"The Italians always come," said Joseph Bevilacqua, the cemetery's superintendent. "What we're getting lots more of now are the former Eastern bloc people - Czechs, Poles, Kosovars and such."

This spring, an Italian judge exonerated three Egyptians who had been on trial for a plot to desecrate the cemetery. Bevilacqua said that sort of thing was rare.

He also said the locals by and large liked the cemetery. "We're probably the biggest employer in Nettuno," he said. "You don't spit on the plate you use to eat."

Perna has worked here since 1986, when he moved north from the town of Avellino after finishing his gardening degree. His paycheck comes from the American Embassy. He has never been to America, although he said he wanted to go.

"Newahmpshur," he said in a thick Italian accent. "Maz-ah-chu-zetz." He learned these names from reading the graves.

It seems that members of Perna's staff are always doing something, whether trimming trees, washing windows, raking leaves or messing with their trucks.

The place is immaculate: green fields, white crosses. An elliptical reflecting pool stands down a gravel pathway from a large memorial with maps and charts of the Italian campaign.

Outside the office is a logbook in which visitors have praised the cemetery's beauty and the sacrifice for which it stands. It is only natural that visitors to such a place would say good things about America. Things like: "Thank you," "Thanks to the American people," and "Thanks."

Back among the graves, Perna was spraying weedkiller on the grass behind the stone of Private Anthony De Cillis, 157th Infantry, 45th Division, killed on May 27, 1944. Down the aisle were other men and boys from Oklahoma, Florida, Michigan, Ohio.

Perna stopped and said, "They have been buried here so long, they are Italians now."


TOPICS: Announcements; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: italy; proamerian
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To: DUMBGRUNT

I sure don't know. I just deduced that this town gets a lot of $ from the US embassy already, based on what they said in the article


21 posted on 05/19/2004 2:54:12 PM PDT by Betis70
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To: RoseofTexas

They will always be Americans! Perhaps, to this gentleman, they could be "Honorary Italians". God Bless our United States of America military.


22 posted on 05/19/2004 2:58:10 PM PDT by maxwellp (Throw the U.N. in the garbage where it belongs.)
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To: tricky_k_1972
"They have been buried here so long, they are Italians now."

While these braves souls will always be Americans, I think their families would be pleased to share them with these grateful Italians. These people have truly taken our fallen into their hearts.

23 posted on 05/19/2004 2:59:46 PM PDT by pbear8 (What makes teflon stick to the pan?)
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To: tricky_k_1972

I have been throughout Northern Italy. I have been treated well all around. I love the people of Italy.


24 posted on 05/19/2004 3:00:04 PM PDT by bmwcyle (<a href="http://www.johnkerry.com/" target="_blank">miserable failure)
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To: DUMBGRUNT
Do we pay to maintain all the American cemeteries across Europe?

We do in France, and I suspect elsewhere in Europe as well, thru American Nat'l Cemeteries & Memorials.

25 posted on 05/19/2004 3:13:41 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: skeeter

Thru the American Battle Mouments Commission, that is...


26 posted on 05/19/2004 3:14:37 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: XJarhead

True, just a tad. I'm just a bit skeptical with the European folks now a days.


27 posted on 05/19/2004 3:36:42 PM PDT by RoseofTexas
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To: tricky_k_1972

Collin Powell was most eloquent when he said that "Europeans trust us because the only land we ever took was for our cemeteries"


28 posted on 05/19/2004 4:27:06 PM PDT by tort_feasor ( anti-Semitism is not a lifestyle choice)
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To: RoseofTexas; Blood of Tyrants; All
NEVER, they'll never be Italians! GO BLESS THE USA and our Military servicemen and women!

please refer to Blood of Tyrants' response in #7... note what he says, and pray you can someday understand the difference.

CGVet58

29 posted on 05/19/2004 4:45:11 PM PDT by CGVet58 (God has granted us liberty, and we owe Him courage in return)
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To: tricky_k_1972

I just returned from a trip to Italy. I must say that nowhere did we see any anti-Bush or anti-American sentiments.


30 posted on 05/19/2004 6:32:36 PM PDT by Andy'smom
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To: RoseofTexas
Shalom!

Hi...Rose of Texas,

I think that Mr. Perna really meant to say...that our Brave AMERICAN Soldiers have been buried in Italy for so long that they have been ADOPTED as Italians and are LOVED and APPRECIATED for their great sacrifice.

At least ITALY still has the Integrity and Guts to take a STAND and SUPPORT the USA in our War Against Terrorism.

GOD BLESS THE GREATEST GENERATION AND ALL THEY DID FOR US!

And may GOD continue to BLESS ALL who Stand with US to Fight for...LIFE, LIBERTY and FREEDOM!

31 posted on 05/21/2004 1:35:49 PM PDT by Simcha7 ((The Plumb - Line has been Drawn, T'shuvah/Return for The Kingdom of HaShem is at hand!))
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To: Blood of Tyrants
Shalom!

I agree with You!

I'd ADOPT Mr. Perna and those who Serve in our American Cemetery as Patriotic AMERICANS...Immediately!

Mr. Perna and his staff have more Love and Respect for America...than Mr. Teddy Kennedy and his Evil Prodigy: John "F'in" Kerry, his wife and his minions.

Please see my post # 31.

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ITALY.

32 posted on 05/21/2004 1:44:00 PM PDT by Simcha7 ((The Plumb - Line has been Drawn, T'shuvah/Return for The Kingdom of HaShem is at hand!))
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