3 July 2004

Greetings to all Cecina Conference attendees!

Sixty years have now passed since the liberation of Cecina. During those years, the men who witnessed that great battle returned home, raised families, and did their best to return to a more peaceful life. They proudly told stories of the Cecina battle to their children, and later to their grandchildren. Some were fortunate enough to have told their tales to their great-grandchildren.

Four generations of Americans, Germans, and Italians have either witnessed the Cecina battle, or have heard a soldier or civilian describe the battle in his own words. Sadly, all of the storytelling will cease in just a few more years. Today’s generation will be the last to hear the old soldiers bring their stories to life. Gone forever will be the personal recollections of the bravery, fear, triumph and tragedy that they experienced in Cecina. The only evidence of their sacrifices will be a few cold, hard facts in some history books, and a few rusty relics buried in the pine woods and fields around Cecina.

Sixty years is a very long time. Long enough for generations to be born and grow old. Long enough for buildings to be built and rebuilt. And long enough for the once powerful weapons of war to crumble away to rust, and simply cease to exist.

But for the soldiers who were there, sixty years is not enough time to forget what happened in Cecina. Not long enough to forget just sixty frightening seconds of combat on Via Montanara. Not long enough for physical wounds to completely heal, or for unthinkable memories to finally fade away. And certainly not long enough to forget the losses of close friends.

For good or for bad, the few remaining witnesses of the battle still recall the events in vivid detail. But soon these rich personal experiences will be lost. Who will carry the human side of the story forward in the years to come? How will anyone know in another sixty years that a battle ever took place in Cecina? Or that hundreds of men suffered and died in the streets outside of this conference room?

Those of you who are attending this conference are to be honored. You have chosen to devote your time and your passion to preserve the history of this battle. More importantly, you are preserving the memories of the fine American, German, and Italian people who endured and suffered so much, some sixty years ago. Their deeds and memories are what make the history come alive.

We come from a number of different interests. Some of us are mostly interested in the historical facts of this battle. Some of us are mostly interested in the leaders who developed the strategies for this battle. And some of us are mostly interested in the weapons that were used in this battle. But the one common theme we share is the respect we have for the bravery and sacrifices of the men on both sides of this battle, and for the citizens of Cecina.

As you leave this conference, pause for a moment in the street and try to visualize the soldiers who were here sixty years ago. Try to imagine that you were one of them. Remove all of the colors that you see around you, and replace them with the dull fog of war. Remove the modern homes and buildings, and replace them with piles of rubble. Remove the sounds of cars rushing by and people laughing, and replace them with the sounds of gunfire and men screaming in pain and confusion. Remove the tastes and smells of food and wine, and replace them with the tastes of dust and sweat, and the smells of smoke and death. This is the battle of Cecina from the human perspective.

Remember the many thousands of human experiences that shaped the battle for Cecina. Seek out these rich stories, and preserve them as a living part of the history.

I wish you all a very successful conference, and continued discoveries in the future.

Best regards to all,

Bob Holt, son of
Sergeant Raymond Holt
Driver of Sherman Tank #11
3rd Platoon, Company B
752nd Tank Battalion

Click here to read the story of the battle for Cecina.