National Committee for Italy member LTG Antonio Li Gobbi reflects on his father’s path to joining the Allied effort after the armistice of 8 September 1943, escaping German captivity twice, training with Allied forces in parachuting and sabotage in Algeria, and parachuting behind enemy lines in northern Italy to lead intelligence and liaison missions with the resistance.

The Allies in the Italian Campaign: Historical Perspectives and Collective Memory conference series is a five-part national conference series dedicated to examining the Allied role in the Italian Campaign, from the landings in Sicily to the liberation of northern Italy, and to analyzing how that multinational presence and sacrifice has been remembered, interpreted, and integrated into Italy’s national consciousness.

"It saw the country simultaneously confront a lost war, a change of regime, an unexpected armistice, a civil war, and a new conflict that ultimately brought Italy back into the community of free and democratic nations and into the fold of its traditional alliances."

"Everyone had military objects at home. Children went to school with wartime backpacks. Farmers wore camouflage jackets from the war; they even went hunting in those waterproof WWII military coats."

"When I asked him how he was chosen for Brazil, he said that since he grew up speaking Italian at home, his Army record noted his fluency—and the Army figured he could “easily master Portuguese.” So, they sent him to Brazil. My father’s story is the quintessential American story."

"I introduced a resolution to establish the 'National World War II Italian Campaign Remembrance Day' to commemorate the valor of our veterans and ensure their legacy endures for generations to come... This military campaign was a testament to the unyielding resolve of U.S. Forces and the strength of our foreign military alliances, united by a shared commitment to democratic ideals and the fight against fascism."