FORT GORDON, Ga. (Nov. 21, 2014) - More than 120 people met Sunday afternoon at a remote cemetery near old gate 2 on Fort Gordon to pay respect and lay wreaths of remembrance to 21 German and one Italian World War II prisoners-of-war buried there.
During the annual German -- Italian Memorial ceremony Chaplain (Col.) Timothy Mallard, the Fort Gordon garrison chaplain, offered a prayer first in German, then in English, and closing in Italian. He asked God to look not upon their sins (those buried there), but only upon their faith. "Grant them eternal rest," Mallard asked. "For their families and homelands thousands of miles away, assuage them from grief and grant them perpetual care and comfort. For us, as allies, now in the cause of freedom, grant us a new commitment in the profession of arms to establish a rightly ordered justice and peace among all your peoples."
The 434th U.S. Army Signal Corps Band played the German, Italian and U.S. national anthems to honor those buried in the small cemetery.
Fort Gordon German Liaison Officer Lt. Col. Frank Beyer welcomed everyone to the commemoration of the German and Italian National Day of Mourning 2014.
He talked about the importance of the months of October and November in Germany's history. "On the third of October exactly 24 years ago Germany was reunited after being separated for half a century after World War II," Beyer explained. "And, just a week ago was the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall."
"In truth, it has been a hard and long journey for Germany," he said. "But with the support of this wonderful and great nation of the United States of America, Germany was first liberated from the Nazis during World War II, then was able to learn its lessons in the years and decades after and eventually got reunited."
Beyer pointed out that no single country in history has done greater good, shown great courage, liberated more people, or upheld higher standards of decency and valor than the United States of America. "Today, American, German and Italian servicemen and servicewomen are allies in Afghanistan and in the war on terror," Beyer said.
Maj. Gen. Stephen G. Fogarty, the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon commanding general, talked about the importance of this day and the memorial site.
"These graves remind us of a painful era in the relationship between these three nations represented here," Fogarty said. "But they also remind us of the hope that can flourish after the battle."
"This memorial today has special meaning to me," Fogarty said. "My father was a prisoner-of --war during World War II. As a bombardier in the 8th Air Force he was captured after his plane was shot down on a mission over Czechoslovakia near the end of the war. He was treated very well and was fortunate enough to return home to his family."
"Sadly, as can be seen behind me, that was not the story for everyone who fought in the war and for everyone who was captured," he said. "Some people went to war and they never returned. It was true in 1945, and it is true today. It's the Soldiers and their families that pay the true price of war."
The general talked about the nearly half-a-million German and Italian prisoners of-war brought to the United States. "They were housed for the duration of the war, and they had an opportunity, a unique opportunity, to see the United States and to meet the citizens of this country. They came into contact with average Americans, with barriers built during the war beginning to crumble.
Germans and Italians soldiers saw the benefits of a free society. And the Americans, with who they worked with, would form relationships that would last decades."
Fogarty pointed out the importance of keeping this friendship strong with the threat of terrorism today. "In light of this, it is important than ever that our nations stand united," he said. "The strong relationships we have built and sustained over these nearly 70 years will serve us well in the years ahead as our Service members encounter each other, not as adversaries, but as friends standing shoulderto shoulder against tyranny and for freedom."
Fogarty then placed a wreath at the German Memorial Gravesite and one at the Italian Memorial Gravesite where Italian POW, Antonio Zadel is buried.
Beyer, accompanied by German military student, Capt. Leonard Fritz, also placed a wreath at the German Memorial Gravesite.
Heidi Lux, accompanied by her friend Edeltraud Fandry, left a bouquet of white roses at the German Memorial Gravesite. "I come to the memorial not only to honor those Soldiers buried here, but my great grandfather who fought in that war and never returned from the Soviet Union," Lux said. "I never got the opportunity to meet and know him."
The memorial concluded with the German Liaison officer and the German- American Friendships Club inviting everyone to enjoy homemade desserts at a reception located at the rear of the tents near the memorial site.
Olga Selman of Augusta, Georgia, comes every year to the ceremony. "I am glad to see each year more people attend the memorial ceremony."
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