Monument Details

Liberation Plaque

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Details:

The plaque is mounted on a yellow commercial/residential building at the northeast end of the plaza facing toward the plaza. Plaque

This plaque commemorates the fifteen Italian-American soldiers of the 2677th Headquarters Company, Detachment C, (Unit A, First Contingent), a special Allied OSS unit stationed at Corsica, who were taken prisoner and executed during the failed Operation Ginny. The soldiers were captured on 24 March 1944 when attempting to blow up a German supply tunnel, and they were executed in uniform two days later on 26 March 1944.

To execute uniformed prisoners of war was a direct violation of the Geneva Convention, and in the days following Liberation, the investigation into the disappearence of the fifteen members of the OSS team was given priority. This case set a precedent for the Nuremberg war crime trials of German generals, officials and Nazi leaders beginning in November 1945. The precedent thus contributed to the codification of Principle IV of the Nuremberg Principles, which rejects "Superior Orders," and a similar principle found in sections of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The plaque itself was placed at the site on 25 April 1990 in celebration of the 45^th anniversary of the liberation of Ameglia, and in remembrance of the executed OSS soldiers. It is a grey granite plaque with crossed Italian and American flags and unit insignia. All text on the plaque is engraved in white and is written in Italian.

Monument Text:

45 Anniversario della Liberazione

Tenente Vincent J. Russo

Tenente Paul J. Trafficante

Sergente Livio Vieceli

Sergente Dominick C. Mauro

Sergente Alfred L. de Flumeri

Soldato Salvatore di Sclafani

" " Santoro Calcara

" " Joseph M. Farrell

" " John S. Leone

" " Joseph A. Libardi

" " Joseph Noia

" " Thomas N. Savino

" " Angelo Sirico

" " Rosario F. Squadrito

" " Liberty G. Tremonte

In divisa U.S. Army sbarcati a Framura catturati il 22 Marzo 1944 furono fucilati dai Nazi-Fascisti in spregio di ogni legge internazionale il 26 Marzo 1944 a Punta Bianca di Ameglia.

Commilitoni del "2671 Special Reconaissance Battalion"

Cittadini-Partigiani-Ex Combattenti Riconoscenti

Ameglia 25 Aprile 1990

Translation:

45^thAnniversary of the Liberation

Lieutenent Vincent J. Russo

Lieutenent Paul J. Trafficante

Sargeant Livio Vieceli

Sargeant Dominick C. Mauro

Sargeant Alfred L. de Flumeri

Private Salvatore di Sclafani

" " Santoro Calcara