Vet bring-back RSI "MONTEROSA" div

[Humble480]

A picture that my grandfather took when Florence was being bombed. On the back it says, "Bombing of Florence from a hill - a long way off"

You can see bombers overhead and explosions in the city...

[Humble480]

Here is a picture of the view from where my grandfather lived in Florence.

On the back it says, "Looking at the river from the Battalion Officer's quarters. Arno in Florence"

[Ric Ferrari]

Tonight I found another piece of the grouping. I am not familiar with Italian insignia so I do not know what this is. Please let me know if you have any details.

It looks a lot like an eagle that would have gone on his cap.

Hello Jordan,

actually that could be the eagle used on Alpini cap pictured.

I sincerely hope you will find more info to reinforce idea this grouping belonged to Carloni

Ric

[Rene Chavez]

Wow what a historical and wonderful collection hopefully you will keep this collection in honor of your grandfather and past it on to your family members.


Rene Chavez
http://www.foreignvolunteerlegion.com/RSIAwards4.htm


http://www.foreignvolunteerlegion.com/ItalianAwards1.htm

[Passo Stanco]

Carloni? It's possible. This night I will read his war diary.
I will write you something soon.

[Passo Stanco]

Carloni in his memories remeber a scottish captain (no name) and another american captain named "D'Addario".

the eagle in your images is a general RSI eagle.

[Humble480]

Paolo,

Thank you for the information! You have been extremely helpful. Does Carloni talk about his time in Florence for the military tribunal in 1946?

Also, does he talk about Ethopia and the Spanish Civil War?

I really appreciate all of your help!

Is there a way that I can buy a copy of his war diary online?

[Humble480]

Here is another picture of his cap that my wife found online. It's still too blurry to say it's the same eagle, but the outline at least looks similar.

[Humble480]

I found some information on Captain D'Addario!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Q._Daddario

https://www.google.com/amp/www.coura...story,amp.html

It sounds like he was an American from Italian heritage who worked for the O.S.S. establishing a partisan network in Italy during WW2. "According to the 2004 book Mussolini: The Last 600 Days of Il Duce, by Ray Moseley, Mr. Daddario was credited with capturing Benito Mussolini's chief of staff, Rodolfo Graziani, at the Hotel Milan in April 1945." He was a Captain when he left the service in September 1945.

[Humble480]

Thanks for the messages Ric and Rene.

Ric, I am planning on doing some intensive research on this project. I am going to see if I can track down reports from the 1946 hearings as well as logbooks for my grandfather's units. I also believe that forum members like yourself and Paolo can be very helpful for collecting information, and even knowing where to look. I'll take all the help I can get!

Rene, thank you for the message. I clicked on your links and really enjoyed your website. If you'd like to use any pictures that I've posted, please feel free to use them!

[Humble480]

I found the 400-page Record of Trial for United States of American v. Mario Carloni that was held in Florence, Italy from 25 September to 4 October 1946 if anyone is interested:

https://www.legal-tools.org/en/browse/record/d442ab/

I'll read through it tonight and let you know if I find any highlights..

[Humble480]

The court case was very interesting. There were some interesting witness questions about what the situation for the Monterosa Division was like in February of 1945, which shed some light on the size of the division at that time and the impact of Allied air attacks.

As far as my investigation goes into whose medals these were, I found that my grandfather's post-war unit the 101st Military Police Battalion out of Florence did some investigative work for Mario Carloni's case. I also believe they were in charge of security as well as transporting prisoners and witnesses for the case, including Mario Carloni. Many of whom were being held in POW camps and needed to be brought to Florence.

At one point, Captain Simonitti of the Monterosa Division (who was executed for the murder of Lt. Lyth) states that he was arrested in his cell by two American Captains who brought him to Florence for the trial. This would have been my grandfather's responsibility at that time.

Also, the liner of my grandfather's helmet in not an early war National Guard liner, but in fact a late-war example that says "Guard" on the front of it.

Here is a copy of one of the documents of the court case dated 25 Feb 1946 from the commander of the 101st MP battalion. I have also attached a photo showing that my grandfather was the commander of the 101st MP battalion by 27 May 1946. In the photo he is receiving an award in Leghorn, Italy.

I have also reached out to the National Archives. They have a file on my grandfather's time as Provost Marshall as well as the historical records, special orders, and general orders of the 101st MP battalion in 1945 and 1946. Hopefully these documents can shed some direct light on the subject!

For now, I am feeling very confident that this grouping could have belonged to Mario Carloni.

[Ric Ferrari]

Hello Jordan,

keep on your amazing investigation job, I personally hope that further evidences will lead to definitively attribute the whole grouping to Mario Carloni.

In the meanwhile thanks for sharing

Ric

[MarcoPennisi]

ciao Marco, a little clarification
the second badge from left isn't from Pieve di Cadore. It is a very rare badge for "istruttore militare di sci ed alta montagna - military instructor of skiing and high mountains". .

Thank you so much for correcting me. I wasn't sure about its ID, that's why I wrote that it may be Cadore Bn's.

[Zip3120]

awesome thread, awesome items, awesome Red Bull helmet.

Marco