1 hour south of Rome, at Nettuno, there is a shrine to America.

In the 80 acre Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, 7,862 Americans who died in combat in Italy during World War II are buried.

There are  200,000 visitors a year, mostly non-Americans. The Italians are the steadiest contingent and their visits have not stopped, even since the Iraqi war, and even since an Italian soldier died in combat this spring. Italy has maintained its deep devotion to America, a warm regard that has not cooled in the chilly winds of war.

In a Guest book, visitors praise the cemetery's beauty and the sacrifice for which it stands. Things like: "Thank you."Thanks to the American people."Thanks."

Angelo Perna the chief gardener, has never been to America, although he said he wants to go.

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

Perna reads some of the names and with respect and pride says: "They have been buried here so long, they are Italians now."
=======================================
A TINY CORNER OF ITALY THAT HASN'T FORGOTTEN ITALY
New York Times
Alan Feuer,
May 18, 2004

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 so that the men who do such things need seven days to cut its grass.

It is the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial. Buried there are 7,862 Americans who died in combat in Italy during World War II. Each lies buried with 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 hands are dark and rough. Perna, 51, is not that interested in politics. But when you tend the graves of dead Americans, politics will sometimes intervene.

He has watched the buses pull up to the gates, and the tourists wander out to walk 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...

Italy, like most of Europe, has been outraged by the images of Iraqi men (being tortured and humiliated)...

An Italian soldier died in combat this spring, yet the country 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 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."

No sane man likes war, but war is never sane. "It would have been better if there hadn't been a war," said Perna, "but you can't do anything about it now. If someone attacks you, you have to react."

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."...

He also said the locals by and large liked the cemetery. "We're probably the biggest employer in Nettuno."...

Perna has been working 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 wants to go.

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

In the last two decades, he has seen two American presidents, Bill Clinton and the first George Bush.

It seems that Perna's staff is always doing something, whether trimming trees, washing windows, or raking leaves. The place is immaculate: green fields, brown limbs, 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 the United States. Things like: "Thank you."Thanks to the American people."Thanks."

Back among the graves, Perna was spraying weed-killer on the grass behind the stone of Pvt. 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."

In tiny corner of Italy, America isn't forgotten
http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4785946.html
========================================
Italy Will Never Forget
 

To the Editor:Re "A Tiny Corner of Italy That Hasn't Forgotten America" (Nettuno Journal, May 18), about the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, an hour south of Rome:

I live near the "Gothic Line," where fierce battles were fought in World War II. Many other war cemeteries are on the Apennine between Florence and Bologna, with white crosses for remembering the soldiers who died in Italy.

When I'm with an older friend and we see these white crosses, a deep silence ensues; we pray, and I understand how great our freedom is.

We will never forget the Americans who died for freedom in Italy.

DAVIDE MODENI
Borgo Tossignano, Italy
May 18, 2004

The New York Times > Opinion > Italy Will Never Forget
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/20/opinion/L20ITAL.html