“It was the most moving gesture I ever saw.”

Wednesday, 30 May 1945 dawned as the first Memorial Day after World War II ended in Europe.  War still raged in the Pacific; it would continue there for another 3 months.  But in the US and Europe it was a day for somber ceremonies and remembrances of lost comrades.

This was especially true at US cemeteries in Europe, where tens of thousands of US war dead were buried.  At some if not all of these ceremonies were held; many political figures and/or senior military officers gave speeches.  I’m sure all of them were worthwhile, and paid appropriate tribute to the fallen.

But one speech in particular that day was unique.  It occurred at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery.

Sicily-Rome American Cemetery is near the modern Italian town of Nettuno, called Antium in antiquity.  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.  The cemetery was originally intended a temporary resting place for US dead from the Anzio landings and subsequent combat.  It became a permanent resting place for US war dead.

Today, only 7,861 US fallen remain in eternal rest near Nettuno. However, the cemetery on 30 May 1945 held approximately 20,000 graves.  Most were soldiers who were lost before the fall of Rome – in Sicily, at Salerno, or at Anzio.  (Some years later, the US government gave families the choice to allow fallen relatives to remain with their comrades or be repatriated.  Many of those originally buried near Nettuno – about 60% – were repatriated.)

A number of VIPs were present at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery that day.  Some were senior military officers; some were political figures.  Several senators were in attendance.

One of the speakers at the ceremony was the US 5th Army Commander, LTG Lucian K. Truscott, Jr.  (Truscott would later receive a post-retirement honorary promotion and a 4th star, but at the time he still wore 3 stars.)  He had returned to Italy from France to command 5th Army earlier that year.

When it was his turn to speak, Truscott moved to the podium.

What happened next was truly remarkable.

Before speaking, Truscott looked at the assembled visitors awaiting his remarks.  He then turned away from the living. He turned and faced the graves of the fallen.

Rather than speak to the living, Truscott addressed those buried in the cemetery.  He spoke in a quiet voice.

He apologized.

Sadly, no transcript or recording of Truscott’s speech that day exists. But SGT Bill Mauldin (yes, the Stars and Stripes journalist and cartoonist of “Willie and Joe” fame) was there.  His account of the speech appears to be the best and most complete record that exists.

According to Mauldin,

“. . . when it came time for the general to speak, he turned away from the visitors and addressed the corpses he’d commanded there.  It was the most moving gesture I ever saw.  It came from a hard-boiled old man who was incapable of planned dramatics.  The general’s remarks were brief and extemporaneous.  He apologized to the dead men for their presence there.  He said that everybody tells leaders that it is not their fault that men get killed in war, but that every leader knows in his heart that this is not altogether true.  He said he hoped anybody here through any mistake of his would forgive him, but he realized that was asking a hell of a lot under the circumstances.  A senator’s cigar went out; he bent over to relight it, then thought better of it.  Truscott said he would not speak of the ‘glorious’ dead because he didn’t see much glory in getting killed in your late teens or early twenties.  He promised that if in the future he ran into anybody, especially old men, who thought death in battle was glorious, he would straighten them out.  He said he thought it was the least he could do.”

Truscott then reportedly walked away, without looking around.

Truscott had commanded troops during or shortly after every major US amphibious landing in the European theater except D-Day – from Mehdia and Port Lyautey in Morocco (the Atlantic landings of Operation Torch) to Operation Dragoon in Southern France.  He’d seen combat in North Africa, Sicily, near Salerno, at Anzio, in central Italy, in southern and central France, and in northern Italy.

In particular, Truscott had commanded the 3rd Infantry Division in Sicily, after Salerno, and at Anzio.  After a month, he had assumed command of the entire Anzio beachhead and VI Corps – and had commanded the Anzio beachhead and VI Corps during another several months of desperate combat there and elsewhere in Italy.  Many of those buried at Nettuno were soldiers Truscott had commanded during the previous two years.

Apparently Truscott felt he owed a personal apology to those who’d died under his command.

Moving?  Yes – moving indeed.  And apropos.

. . .

It’s again Memorial Day.  Today we pause to remember those who served – and didn’t come home.

Rest in peace, my fallen brothers-in-arms.  You’ve surely earned that.

And as you rest, know this:  you’re not forgotten.

Category: Historical, Real Soldiers