Monument Details

Italian-American Grave Memorial

Details:

The memorial is on the N side of Strada Provinciale 30/ Via della Pace and is clearly visible from the road. Monument The large, natural rock memorial notes the location of the original burial site of 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 memorial itself features two plaques. the first is a white marble plaque with black text and a cross. The second is a smaller bronze plaque with engraved lettering. All text is in Italian. The memorial was placed at the site on 26 March 2004 by the OSS Society and the Commune of Ameglia.

Monument Text:

(Plaque 1)

NEL 60 ANNIVERSARIO

DELLA SEPOLTURA DEGLI

EROI DELLA MISSIONE GINNY

OSS SOCIETY

COMUNE DI AMEGLIA

26 MARZO 2004

(Plaque 2)

IN QUESTO LUOGO

FURONO DISSEPOLTI

15 MARTIRI SOLDATI