Invasion of Sicily 75th Anniversary Commemoration at the WWII Memorial
July 9, 2018 @ 11:30AM — 12:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
A special 75th anniversary ceremony commemorating the Allied amphibious assault on the Italian island and the first blow against fascist Italy.
On Monday, July 9th at 11:30 a.m., the Friends of the National World War II Memorial will host a brief ceremony and wreath presentation at the World War II Memorial's Atlantic Arch to mark the 75th anniversary of the Invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky), a massive Allied amphibious and air operation which initiated the Italian Campaign and struck the first blow against fascist Italy.
The July 9-August 17, 1943 Invasion of Sicily by American, British, and Canadian forces, with support from the Free French, marked the start of the Italian Campaign; opened up the Mediterranean Sea lanes for Allied merchant ships for the first time since 1941; toppled Italian leader, Benito Mussolini, from power in Italy; and led the way for the Allied invasion of Italy and the first defeat of one of the three Axis Powers.
During the July 9th ceremony at the World War II Memorial, WWII veterans and representatives of Allied nations will present wreaths at the Atlantic Arch of the Memorial in honor of all who served and in remembrance of the nearly 10,000 Americans killed, wounded, or captured and the nearly 13,000 British and Canadians killed, wounded, or captured during the Invasion of Sicily.
If you are a WWII veteran, or know of one, who would like to participate in the Invasion of Sicily 75th Anniversary Commemoration at the Memorial, please email hrotondi@wwiimemorialfriends.org!
We hope you'll join us on July 9th at the WWII Memorial!
The Friends of the National World War II Memorial's WWII 75th Anniversary Commemoration is generously sponsored by AT&T.
Generous support has also been provided by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation and Worthington Industries.