Italy remembers Brazilian Expeditionary Force, 66th anniversary
Massimo Mazzanti, our Contributor in Italy remembers the Brazilian Air Force too!
April 30, 2011 - Staffoli – Montefalcone, Italy
Our Contributor in Italy, Massimo Mazzanti was invited to participate at the Votive Chappell dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, erected by the Brazilian Infantrymen in 1944-45, at the Staffoli-Montefalcone Woods, now known as the Parco del Corpo Forestale dello Stato (Park of the State Forest Corps) in the comemmorations of the 66th anniversary of the presence of the 4th and 5th detachments of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, its Personal Depot, Training Facility, Operations Head Quarters of Gen. Euclydes Zenobio da Costa, to whom the German 148th Jaeger Infantry Div. commanded by Otto Freter Pico surrended at Fornovo di Taro.
This place used to be the training facility for the Brazilian Infantry for the fighting at the Gothic Line, being its primary target Monte Castello, taken after the German 242nd Infantry Division with support from the Braziliam 1st Fighter Squadron from the Brazilian Air Force, based at San Giusto Airport, Pisa.
This chappell, being at the Riserva Naturale del Corpo Forestale dello Stato belongs to the Comune di Castelfranco di Sotto, Pisa Province, Italy. Staffoli's priest, Father Rafael conducted the mass.
Present were Brazilian authorities from the Embassy in Rome, Col. Orlando Roque De Simone, Military Attache; Fl.-Col. Sergio Roberto De Almeida, Defense and Aeronautics Attache from Brazilian Air Force; ST Joao Baustista Piloneto, assistent to the Military Attache; SO Ailton Ferreira Gomes (from our State, Rio Grande do Norte, whose Capital is Natal) representing the Naval Attache CMG Sergio Nathan Marinho Goldstein; the WW2 veteran Antonio De Padua Inham from Minas de Gerais State and Mr.Mario Pereira, the Head of the Votive Brazilian Military Monument at Pistoia.
Representing the Corpo Forestale dello Stato, Mr. Vicerevisore Gregori Diego and Assistente Rocchi Angelo.
Comunali Authorities were Mr. Umberto Marvogli, the Mayor of Comune di Castelfranco di Sotto, from where the Chappell belongs; Mr.Oswaldo Ciaponi, Mayor of Comune di Santa Croce sull’Arno and Mr.Claudio Toni, Mayor of Comune di Fucecchio.
The Cerimony ended with an exchange of solidarity gestures and a buffet reception at the Riserva Naturale offered by the Corpo Forestale dello Stato.
We thank in special, the Comune di Castelfranco di Sotto by the gracious invitation.