Guest commentary: Remembering the 'overshadowed' heroes of WWII

We should all be grateful and honor all the men and women who have served and are serving in our armed forces. It was therefore very gratifying to read that 20 veterans were honored last week by Philippe Vinogradoff, consul general of France in Miami, at a luncheon organized by Brigitte Smith of the French Community Association of Naples.

Photo by TRISTAN SPINSKI, Daily News

The man with the sign at left caught the eye of letter-writer John Domenie, who is a friend of the U.S. Army veteran Zaven Harootunian of Naples, honored last week by Mimi Gregory of the Alliance Francaise of Bonita Springs and others.

Although much emphasis has always been placed on the massive D-Day invasion of "Fortress Europe," we should remember that the invasion of Europe began with the invasion of Sicily, and then Italy.

Our friend Zaven Harootunian of Naples — pictured in your June 7 edition getting his award — was a member of the 3rd Infantry Division (best known for Audie Murphy, World War II's most decorated soldier). He first saw combat at the Volturno River facing Monte Cassino, and then was among the first wave that made the amphibious landing at Anzio — just 30 miles short of Rome. After holding the beachhead for 3½ months, Zaven ("Zeek") was wounded on the day of the breakout and shipped to a hospital in Naples, Italy.

The liberation of Rome by the 3rd Infantry Division on June 4, 1944, was soon overshadowed by D-Day. Thereafter the division was pulled off the line to prepare for another invasion of Europe — the south of France — and Zaven's 30th Regiment was again in the first waves to land there. Two months later, approaching the German frontier, he was seriously wounded.

His story is but one of the many sacrifices made by men and women in all the theaters of operation.

However, I was intrigued by another aspect of the same picture. In the background a gentleman is standing holding up a placard reading "DIEPPE." This of course refers to the Aug. 19, 1942, raid on Dieppe on the French coast by 6,000 officers and other men — 95 percent Canadians, but including some U.S. "observers." The action, aimed at testing the German defenses, cost the group a staggering 4,400 casualties including soldiers killed in action, missing and taken prisoner. However, it also taught the Allies valuable lessons in landing heavy equipment, naval support, air support and communications between landing forces and naval/air support.

What was learned paved the way for all future invasions of Europe.

I was lucky — too young for World War II and I served two years in Europe during the Korean "police action," never exposed to the horrors of combat.