Allies without borders

Monuments and memorials to American warfighting can also be found on the sites of many of those battles in Europe.

In Memory of American Airmen, countryside, Czech Republic: A memorial stone, propeller, cross and flowers. Subtitled “Heroes of the World War II Against Fascism,” it commemorates the crash of a B-24J Liberator after an aerial fight on Dec. 17, 1944; four airmen died.

1st Lt. Anthony O'Reilly et al., Monastery Park, Ennis, County Clare, Republic of Ireland: “The memorial is black granite with seven bronze panels across the top that depict the Irish immigrant story from poverty to service in the U.S. military. The names are inscribed so that they may be traced (similar to the Vietnam Memorial in D.C.),” and list those who died during the Vietnam War.”

Monument to the Allied Soldiers, Pietrasanta, Lucca, Italy: The monument was installed in 2000; “The town was liberated by American soldiers and the Gothic Line pierced by soldiers of the 442. The monument depicts Sadao Munemori, Medal of Honor recipient, who died throwing himself on a grenade to protect his buddies during combat in the mountains overlooking Pietrasanta. It was fully financed and executed by the people of Pietrasanta in gratitude for the sacrifices made by their liberators. It is comprised of a bronze statue of Munemori by renowned sculptor Marcello Tommasi, a marble base with a bronze relief depicting hope for the future, and an inscription …. The project was proposed to the people of Pietrasanta by Americo Bugliani, who is from Pietrasanta and is a former commander of Chicago’s Nisei Post 1183. He was forever grateful to his liberators.”

Memorial plaque, former Hotel Paltinis building, Sinaia, Romania: Installed by the Romanian government in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy, the plaque reads in Romanian and English: “In honor of the American prisoners who received care in this building during WW 2. Glory to those who fought for their homeland and the freedom of Europe.”