Retired general recalls 1981 terrorist kidnapping

By Anaya CentersAugust 18, 2015

A general kidnapped on Dec. 17, 1981 and rescued 42 days later visited Caserma Ederle as a guest speaker for Antiterrorism Month.

Retired Maj. Gen. James Dozier spoke to a full audience at the Post Theater to share his abduction story and lessons learned from the experience.

Dozier's kidnapping took place when he lived in Verona and served as the chief of staff at NATO's southern European land forces. On that fateful day, he explained, two members of the militant left-wing organization, the Red Brigades, rang the doorbell posing as plumbers. The two claimed there was a leak in the apartment below and said they needed to see if it was coming from Dozier's apartment.

Dozier opened the door to let them inside his home since what their story sounded reasonable. The "plumbers" checked for leaks and soon after began speaking Italian words that Dozier couldn't comprehend. When Dozier led them to the kitchen to get his Italian dictionary, the men blocked the nearest doorway, and Dozier and his wife were attacked from behind.

According to Dozier, the kidnappers managed to get him in the trunk of a rented van by jabbing his head with the butt of a gun, gagging him, and placing him into a box which looked like it was meant to hold a small fridge. While his wife lay chained and gagged in their laundry room, he was then driven until they'd made it to a certain check point in which the rented van was abandoned. At that point he was moved into a Fiat van and driven to Padova.

When the final destination was reached Dozier was taken out of the trunk and brought to the apartment, where he was kept during the entire ordeal. He was kept under a tent and chained to his bed.

Occasionally, guards would change the light bulb under the tent from blue to white in order to disorient Dozier's track of time. They also made him listen to loud rock music continuously through headphones to keep him from hearing conversations around him. When he was finally rescued his hair had a large impression from the headphones.

Dozier said he was treated to three meals a day and his request for classical music was eventually granted, although it was still extremely loud. He even received reading material, such as newspapers and the book 1984 by George Orwell. He was rescued by a 10-man SWAT team on Jan. 25, 1982. He was now a bit thinner and had facial hair, but was in safe hands.

"The support that was provided by the U.S. military and the Italian police was undeniable," said Dozier, who tries to get together every year with his rescuers.

Dozier said his experience taught him four major things: it's important to have an extended family, everyone has an inner strength, prayer and support to and from others is important, and everything happens for a reason.

"All of us have an inner strength that we may not know we have," he said, adding that his military family helped his family get through that tough time.

Today, of the group involved in the kidnapping one member remains in jail, one became a doctor, one died, and the leader Antonio Savasta remains in a psychiatric ward.

Antiterrorism Officer for U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza, Jesse D. Markum, said he was honored to have Dozier share his story and participate in antiterrorism training with Soldiers at Caserma Ederle.

"Even though this incident happened over 35 years ago, the lessons are as applicable as they were then as they are now. We are extremely thankful that General Dozier was here to assist us in enhancing awareness throughout the community as a part of the Army's AT Awareness Month."

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