Interviews
Except for one, all of the Italian interviews were conducted in person while most of the American interviews were recorded phone conversations. (It is noted when they were in person.) With some of my principal protagonists, I returned for clarification or new information over a long period—(ten years with Arlene, Zachary, Rock, and fifteen with Irma and Berto). This continuing investigation was an advantage in terms of establishing accuracy of facts and feelings. It was also a great privilege in cementing my friendship with these remarkable people.
Solace Wales does not offer copies of the interviews she conducted.
Americans
The rank given below is at the time of 12/26/44 (often higher rank was achieved by the interviewee later on).
Protagonists appearing in Braided in Fire have a * preceding name.
THOMAS ST JOHN ARNOLD Colonel (author of Buffalo Soldiers. Manhattan, Kansas: Sunflower University Press, 1990.) Virginia Beach, VA. Arnold was initially in command of the 598th Field Artillery in the Serchio Valley, but by the time of the Sommocolonia battle of 12/26/44, he was the Head of Plans and Operations for General Almond and stationed at the general’s HQ in Viareggio. Arnold was a white officer with the 92nd Division. One and a half hours of recorded interview on 3/18/01 and an unrecorded interview on 1/31/07. (In the latter his voice was so soft, recording him did not work. Though he spoke softly, he was clearly in full possession of his faculties.)
RALPH BOYD S. Sergeant with the 366th Infantry Regiment. Schenectady, NY. Two hours of recorded interview 10/24/11.
EDWARD R BRAXTON 1st Lieutenant with the infantry 92nd Division (he was on the coast). Williamstown, NJ. /and MILTON BRAXTON 1st Lieutenant with 598th Artillery battery C 92nd Division. Living in Germany, but was visiting his brother at the time of my interview. (Edward & Milton are cousins). Half hour of recorded interview with each on 10/31/96.
*ROBERT BROWN 1st Lieutenant with the 366th Infantry Regiment. I interviewed him in person at his house in Washington, DC. Two hours of recorded interviews (an hour and a half in person on 5/24/95 and a half hour phone interview on 8/22/95). Brown became hard of hearing and so for a while we carried on a correspondence via mail. His son came to the Sommocolonia/Barga event in 2000.
MAJOR CLARK (Major was his first name) 1st lieutenant with the 92nd Infantry Division Intelligence Officer, also with 597th Field Artillery. Later on Clark became a Lt Colonel. Tulsa, OK. Four hours of recorded interviews 8/6/95 to 10/30/96. (Tape #3: 8/27/95 includes half hour interview with BURGHART TURNER, 1st Lieutenant in 92nd Division, Tucson, AZ.) Clark died before he completed the book he was working on about the 92nd Division, but he sent me a self-duplicated pamphlet he wrote in 1985 together with Jehu Hunter: The Buffalo Division in World War II along with much other material about the 92nd.
*FRANK CLOUD 2nd Lieutenant with the 366th Infantry Regiment Artillery (Cannon Company). Los Angeles, CA. Four and a half hours of recorded interviews 8/5/95 to 1/14/12. There have also been a number of unrecorded phone conversations. When I spoke with him on 12/21/17, he was age 99, but could answer definitively my question about Cannon Company’s location at the time of the Sommocolonia battle. (Photograph of Frank Cloud)
*ARTHUR FEARING 1st Lieutenant with the 366th Infantry Regiment. Annadale, VA. He fought in the Korean war and became a Lieutenant Colonel. Two hours of recorded interviews on 5/4/95 and 1/10/97.
*ARLENE FOX, Houston, TX. Five and a half hours of taped interviews 8/8/95 to 3/15/05. We met in person at the White House on 1/13/97. We had a long visit in Sommocolonia in 2000 when my husband and I hosted Arlene and Sandra Fox in our house. I have seen her subsequently several times in Houston, including February 2006 when I had her read everything in Braided’s manuscript dealing with her and John Fox. (This material later changed somewhat in format, but not in content.) Arlene approved of the text and had no changes to make. In addition to this personal contact, we have had numerous unrecorded phone conversations and letter exchanges. (Photograph of Arlene Fox with her grandson, Charles Morgan)
*MYRTLE FOX JONES and JANE FOX POPE, Cincinnati, OH. One and a half hours of taped interviews 8/12/95 to 3/1/02. I met both sisters in person at the White House on 1/13/97. Jane Fox Pope came to Sommocolonia/Barga in 2000 where I was able to spend a little time with her. We had several subsequent unrecorded phone conversations.
LLOYD FRENCH 2nd Lieutenant with the 366th Infantry Regiment. I interviewed him in person for two recorded hours at his home in Oakland, CA on 8/16/95. There was a follow-up one hour recorded phone interview on 8/21/95. He spoke at my fundraising talk for Sommocolonia’s monument and park to peace at the San Francisco Italian Cultural Institute in April 1999. By the time of the Sommocolonia 2000 event, Lloyd French had passed away, but his widow and two sons attended.
MILTON GOINGS 1st Lieutenant with the 366th Infantry Regiment (anti-tank company). Cincinnati, OH. One hour of recorded interview 9/10/95 to 8/18/02. (side one 9/10/95 includes 15 minute interview with DR HENRY NORMAN pilot of observation plane for the 92nd Division stationed in Viareggio.)
FELIX GOODWIN Ordinance Officer with the 92nd Division (not in the Serchio Valley). Spoke of his experience returning to Italy. Tuscon, AZ. Half hour of recorded interview on 8/27/95.
JOHN GRADY Captain with the 473rd Infantry Regiment (all white) which replaced the Buffalo Soldiers in Sommocolonia. Redland, CA. Two and a half hours of recorded interview on 10/17/01.
*JAMES HAMLET 2nd Lieutenant replacement officer who was sent to join the 366th in Sommocolonia in January 1945. Trenton, NJ. Hamlet later became a Major General and in 1983 was inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame. Four hours of recorded interviews from 8/13/95 to 9/2/97. I subsequently had unrecorded conversations with him.
JOSEPH HAIRSTON Lieutenant with the 371st in the 599th Field Artillery 92nd Division. Later, as a Captain, he flew a helicopter in Vietnam. Washington, DC. An hour and a half interview in person on 9/6/09 in Barga. I had several subsequent unrecorded conversations with Hairston and then had occasion to meet him over lunch in December 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photograph of Joseph Hairston)
*RICHARD HOGG 2nd Lieutenant (Graves Registration), with the 366th Infantry Regiment. San Francisco, CA. I interviewed him in person together with Benjamin Redd in San Francisco. Two hours of recorded interview 3/19/96. He attended my fundraising talk for Sommocolonia’s monument/park to peace at the San Francisco Italian Cultural Institute in April 1999 and then came to Sommocolonia for the 2000 event.
JEHU HUNTER 1st Lieutenant with the 365th 92nd Division (communications officer). Washington, DC. I had a two and a half hour recorded interview with him in person in Washington, DC on 5/24/95. I had a further phone interviews with him for a total of an hour and a half 7/17/96 and 10/30/96. In all there were four hours recorded.
CHARLES LANCASTER 1st Lieutenant with the 371st 92nd Division. Washington, DC. One hour recorded interview 3/7/01.
DON LEMON 2nd Lieutenant Replacement officer with the 473rd Infantry Regiment (all white) which replaced the Buffalo Soldiers in Sommocolonia. Roanoke, VA. He was the only 473rd soldier wounded there (on 3/20/45). One hour of recorded interview on 10/5/01.
SPENCER MOORE 1st Lieutenant with the 370th 92nd Division. Magnolia, NJ. I had an unrecorded conversation with Moore on 4/13/95 and also talked with him when he came to Barga/Sommocolonia in 2000. One hour recorded interview on 1/26/11.
*CARL MARSHALL 1st Lieutenant with the 366th Infantry Regiment. Columbus, OH. One and a half hour recorded interview 7/2/96.
EDWARD PEEKS 1st Lieutenant with the 366th Infantry Regiment. Charleston, WV. One hour recorded interview 5/2/95.
DR. CARL PROCTOR 1st Lieutenant with the 597th Field Artillery, 92nd Division. Peoria, IL. One hour of recorded interview 7/17/95.
BENJAMIN REDD 1st Lieutenant with the 366th Infantry Regiment. I interviewed him together with Richard Hogg in person in San Francisco. Two hours of recorded interview 3/19/96. He attended my fundraising La Rocca talk for Sommocolonia’s monument/park to peace at the San Francisco Italian Cultural Institute in April 1999.
*EMMETT SAUNDERS Sergeant 1st class 598th Field Artillery battalion 92nd Division. Washington, DC. One and a half hours recorded interview 7/19/96.
DAVID SMITH Rank? 598th Field Artillery 92nd Division. New York, NY. Two hours of recorded interviews 4/5/97 and 6/30/97.
*ROTHACKER SMITH (ROCK) Private, Conscientious Objector Medic with the 366th Infantry Regiment. Pine Forge, PN through the 1990s; Madison, AL after he retired from teaching in 2001. Twelve and a half hours of recorded interviews from 7/28/96 to 1/22/06. I met Rock in person at the White House on 1/13/97. He attended the 2000 event in Sommocolonia. We have also had numerous e-mail exchanges and unrecorded phone conversations. (Photograph of Rothacker Smith)
JOE STEPHENSON 1st Lieutenant (Light Weapons Platoon) 92nd Division. Silversprings, MD. Five hours of recorded interviews 8/27/95 to 9/26/2000 plus an exchange of letters. Like many, Stephenson was generous is helping me understand the Serchio Valley situation.
*CLEVELAND WELLS 2nd Lieutenant medic assigned to graves registration (he was in mortuary business prior to being drafted) 370th 92nd Division. Harvest, AL. Three hours of recorded interview 10/13/10 to 10/27/10.
*OTIS ZACHARY 1st lieutenant 366th Infantry Regiment--Cannon Company artillery. Zachary later became a Major. Carson, CA (near Los Angeles). Fifteen hours of taped interviews 7/30/95 to 3/18/06. I met Zachary in person at the White House on 1/13/97. He spoke at my fundraising talk for Sommocolonia’s monument/park to peace at the San Francisco Italian Cultural Institute in April 1999. After this occasion, we hosted Zachary and his wife, Mary Lee, at our house in Kentfield, CA. Zachary and Mary Lee attended the Sommocoloni event in 2000. In October 2005 I was a guest at the Zacharys’ house in Carson, CA. At that time I read them portions of the Braided in Fire ms to date dealing with Zachary. We also had numerous unrecorded phone conversations. (Photograph of Otis Zachary)
I recorded interviews with thirty-one veterans and four Fox family members. In investigating the American side of the story there are 88 hours of recorded interviews between 5/2/95 and 1/14/12.
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Unrecorded Interviews | Americans
I normally did not make a note of the veterans I spoke with who knew nothing about Sommocolonia/Barga and the Serchio Valley. But I did note some who did. Except for my interviews with Dennette Harrod and Sidney Thompson, my conversations with the following were brief. In some instances the date is missing.
SHELBY T. CLARK Lieutenant with the 92nd Division. Riverhead, Long Island.
DAVID COLTER Laison officer with 92nd Division HQ in Viareggio. Court St. Lucie, FL.
FELIX GOODWIN Ordinance officer with the 92nd Division (not in the Serchio Valley). Tuscon, AZ. I talked with him on 8/27/95.
DENNETTE HARROD Captain with the 366th, who, in 1992, presented the lecture “The 366th Infantry Regiment and Lt. John R. Fox” for the Conference on Black Americans in World War II, at the US Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA. My interview with him was on 5/23/95.
OLLEN HUNT Officer with the 92nd Division. He phoned me in March, 1995. He was in Lucca & Bagni di Lucca, but not Barga.
SIDNEY THOMPSON Captain with the 92nd Division. Cleveland Heights, OH. Thompson was a Wilberforce alumnae who knew John Fox. He contacted me on 3/30/95 and I conducted an interview with him on 4/2/95.
EDWARD WILLETT With the 92nd Division. Chicago, IL. I spoke with him on 7/19/95.
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Italians
Except for Roberto Tonacci, all the Italians were interviewed in person, usually at the home of the interviewee. Although the tapes are in Italian, the dates are listed as we do in English: month/ day/year.
Protagonists appearing in Braided in Fire have a * preceding name.
Partisans
*BERTO BIONDI Eight and a half hours of recorded interviews from 7/21/89 to 6/8/05: first two in Sommocolonia, the others at his home in Lucca. (In addition, I was present for Stephen Faigenbaum’s interviews with Berto Biondi in May 2001.) Since 2005, I have phoned Berto several times a year, sometimes also managing to visit him in Lucca. (Photograph of Berto Biondi)
DANTE (ALDO) CORNELI in a Barga bar. One hour recorded interview on 12/2/02.
MARINO LUCCHESI at Livizzano near Bagni di Lucca. Two hours of recorded interview on 7/6/01.
*ANTONIO MRAKIC (LO SLAVO) in a Barga bar. One hour of recorded interview on 10/18/91 with LEGHTON MCKEITHEN. I later interviewed Antonio on his own. Three hours of recorded interviews from 10/18/91 to 5/10/96. I also had numerous short conversations with Antonio (often about the war) when I ran into him in Barga.
LUCIANO PIERI at San Pietro a Vico (Lucca outskirts). One hour recorded interview on 11/21/02.
ROBERTO TONACCI from Barga but immigrated to US --
Richmond, VA. We spoke in English for a three-hour recorded interview over the phone on 10/8/95.
EDMUNDO TOSCHI at Fornoli (on road to Teraglio) near Piano di Coreglia. Two hours of recorded interview on 11/13/02.
I interviewed seven Italian partisan veterans. In investigating the partisan side of the story there are twenty and a half hours of recorded interviews from 7/21/89 to 6/8/05.
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VILLAGERS
Interviewed in Sommocolonia usually at home.
*IRMA BIONDI Nine and a half hours of recorded interviews between 8/28/87 and 6/30/05. The first interview was at our house in Sommocolonia, thereafter at Irma’s house in Barga.
I have telephoned Irma several times with unrecorded questions about WWII history in the village. And, as with a number of the villagers, I have visited with Irma numerous times when not conducting an interview. I will not mention this with the others.
*PAOLO BIONDI One hour of recorded interview each on 8/8/87 and, twenty years later, on 10/18/07.
PINA CHIAPPA and her mother, *ANNETTA MARCHETTI (CHIAPPA) Seven hours of recorded interviews from 6/30/87 to 8/1/87. Visitors to the household also participating: GIULIA, LINA BERTAGNA and on two occasions *ANNA MOSCARDINI.
PIA BERTONCINI GUIDI and her son, PIETRO GUIDI. Two hours of recorded interview on 8/13/89.
VITTORIO GUIDI and his wife MARIA MARCHETTI GUIDI Two hours of recorded interview on 8/27/87.
GINA MARCHETTI COSIMINI and SILVANA MAZZONI One hour of recorded interview on 8/14/89.
MARIA BARBI (MARCHETTI) Maria was in Trebbignana in December 1944—she later married Sommocolonian, Osvaldo Marchetti.
Two hours of recorded interview on 12/27/92.
*PRIMO MAZZOLINI one hour recorded interview on 12/17/92.
*ANNA MOSCARDINI Four and a half hours of recorded interviews from 6/29/89 to 8/4/89. Anna also joined in two sessions of Pina Chiappa’s interviews. (Photograph of Anna Moscardini)
*ROSINA MOSCARDINI One hour recorded interview on 8/27/87.
*NARDINO NARDINI and his wife TERESA FERRANTI NARDINI. One and a half hours of recorded interview on 8/6/87.
MARINA VINCENTI (ROSIELLO) Two hours of recorded interview on 6/1/02 and 7/22/02. GENNARO ROSIELLO Six hours of recorded interviews from 8/12/87 to 8/24/87. (Photograph of Marina Vincenti)
MARINO PASSEROTTI and his wife VIOLETTA CHIAPPA (PASSEROTTI) One and a half hours of recorded interview on 8/11/89.
I interviewed twenty-two Sommocolonians. In investigating the villager side of the story there are forty-three hours of recorded interviews from 6/30/87 to 10/18/07. (I have not included Berto Biondi among these though his experience is as a villager as well as a partisan.)
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ITALIANS FROM PLACES NEAR SOMMOCOLONIA
SALVATORE BUVANI Barga architect responsible for rebuilding Sommocolonia. Two hours of recorded interview conducted on 8/3/89 and 8/26/89 while walking through the village to talk about sites.
DUSE LAMETTI interviewed in her home in Campia. One hour of recorded interview 7/30/08.
QUINTO MARCHI interviewed in his home in Albiano. One hour of recorded interview 8/1/89.
DIVA MORICONI interviewed in her home in Filecchio. One and a half hours of recorded interview.
I met with four people from towns near Sommocolonia for a total of five and a half hours of recorded interviews and one hour unrecorded. In all, I met with thirty-three Italians for a total of 69 hours of recorded interviews from 6/30/87 to 10/18/07.
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UNRECORDED INTERVIEWS | Italians
OSVALDO MARCHETTI (Maria Barbi Marchetti’s husband).
*BERNARD MOSCARDINI I interviewed Bernard in English for several hours in Sommocolonia in early July 1987. Bernard vacations in Sommocolonia but lives in Taunton, Somerset, England. He later authored La Vacanza (Kennoway, Scotland: self-published by Spiderwize, 2009) about his wartime experience in Sommocolonia.
ALBINO SANTI interviewed in the field (a driving tour) on 7/8/01. We visited a house in Coreglia where Albino was when he saw the la Rocca tower hit by a bomber on 12/27/44. We also visited Fraia (near Tiglio) where he was a neighbor of Anna Moscardini and Adelmo Biondi when they were sfollati.
DARIO & FLORA VENTERELLI interviewed in their home in Vergemoli. One hour unrecorded interview conducted together with Marta Rossi on 11/11/’07.
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I interviewed many but also missed many who had already passed on. It is partly because they were near misses that I especially regret not interviewing Alfredo Cecchini, John Thomas Martin and Louis Flagg.
A Sommocolonian, Alfredo Cecchini was a non-combatant medic with Mussolini’s troops in Russia where he was taken prisoner. He escaped his POW camp and made his way home, sometimes receiving lifts, but walking much of the way in freezing winter temperatures. He arrived in time to experience the horror of the December 26, 1944 attack. Alfredo was a stonemason we came to know and appreciate when he worked on our Sommocolonia house. In the early ‘90s I wrote him several letters from the US trying to set an interview date. But every time I was to be in the village, he was in Scotland visiting his son. Then it was too late.
I was told by several veterans (including Major General James Hamlet) that John Thomas Martin was especially knowledgeable about the 366th and what happened in the Sommocolonia battle. Knowing he lived in Washington, DC and that I would be there in a month’s time, I phoned him on 4/23/95 and set up an interview to be conducted in person. I was devastated when I learned that he died within that interim month.
Robert Brown informed me in his 5/24/95 in person interview that I’d also missed by 30 days Louis Flagg, a 366th lieutenant who had been in Sommocolonia most of December 1944 and had been in the village battle. I hadn’t previously known of Flagg, but later discovered he’d not only been in the battle, but he’d been stationed again in the village in January and February 1945 and participated in the February attack on Lama. Four 366th lieutenants were in the Sommocolonia battle, but two died: Lt. John Fox and Lt. Graham Hervey Jenkins. Lt. Carl Marshall (whom I did interview) was inside a house for part of the battle and when he exited, was wounded immediately in the shoulder but managed to escape down through the woods to Barga. His description of what happened in the battle was limited. Lt. Flagg, on the other hand, led a mortar platoon in the midst of the fray. Missing his first-hand description of the December 26th battle and the February 5th attack on Lama was a real loss to this history.
I recorded interviews with thirty-four Americans for a total of 88 hours. I met with thirty-three Italians for a total of 69 hours of recorded interviews. TOTAL: 157 hours of recorded interviews.
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In addition there are 7 tapes of recorded conversation with resource people, the most notable being Daniel Gibran, who headed the Shaw committee researching the Medal of Honor recipients, including Fox, and who is author of The 92nd Infantry Division and the Italian Campaign in World War II. Jefferson NC: McFarland & Co, 2001.
DANIEL GIBRAN Interviewed over the phone on 1/22/97 and 6/6/97.