L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE D e a r R e a d - ers, May, we said, keeps on having many I t a l i a n c o n - nections, but for those of us who were fans, this is the month we had to say good- b y e t o F r a n k Sinatra: learning he had d i e d , o n t h e 1 4 t h o f M a y 1 9 9 8 , w a s l i k e a f a m i l y member had passed. Sina- tra was proud of his own "Italian connections" and g a v e m u c h o f h i s t i m e t o e f f o r t s b e n e f i t t i n g t h e m . B a c k i n 1 9 7 9 , L ' I t a l o - A m e r i c a n o N e w s p a - per was owned and operat- ed by the priests from the O r d e r o f t h e S c a l a b r i n i F a t h e r s a n d t h e y w e r e w o r k i n g h a r d t o g e t t h e Villa Scalabrini for seniors completed. Many Italian- Americans in the entertain- ment business, like Jimmy D u r a n t e , d u g d e e p , a n d F r a n k S i n a t r a - w h o h a d a l r e a d y c o n t r i b u t e d $ 250,000 with a "Tribute to Dolly" in Las Vegas - added another $ 50,000 with pro- ceeds from his special con- cert at the Amphitheater that same evening. A f t e r b e i n g a w a r d e d the Grand'Ufficiale of the O r d e r o f t h e R e p u b l i c o f I t a l y , a t t h e r e s i d e n c e o f Consul General Dr. Amedeo Cerchione, Sinatra made a h e a r t f e l t " t h a n k y o u " address: "Mr. Minister, represen- tatives and friends of the I t a l i a n G o v e r n m e n t . . . Ladies and Gentlemen: I am humbled. I am proud. I a m A m e r i c a n . A n d I a m I t a l i a n , a n d I t h a n k y o u f r o m t h e b o t t o m o f m y heart for the honor you do t o m y f a m i l y t o d a y . M y f a t h e r , G o d b l e s s h i m , would have burst his but- t o n s t o k n o w h i s k i d received the highest honor given to a civilian by the Italian Government; and my blessed mother would have gone door to door to tell the neighbors the good news. For both of them, I also thank you. I accept your award not as its rightful or deserving owner, I accept rather on b e h a l f o f t h e c o u n t l e s s Americans proud of their I t a l i a n h e r i t a g e w h o d e s e r v e i t m u c h m o r e . . . much, much more than I do. I ' m t a l k i n g a b o u t a l l those fine decent people out t h e r e , a l l o v e r A m e r i c a , who get out of bed every morning to do their share and more to reflect honor on their parents' country b y c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h i s country. I s e e t h e m w h e r e v e r I travel in America. They are the proud ones - proud of Italy, proud of America - p r o u d o f t h e m s e l v e s f o r having two of the world's greatest cultures in their lives. The joy of life they expe- rience can only be known by those to whom Italy is a mother and America is a father. Every night of my life I thank God for my ancestry and for the secure knowl- edge the blood of the Eter- nal City flows in my veins. A n d I t h a n k G o d I h a v e been favored by good peo- ple like you all here today. I will never forget this day, t h i s m o m e n t , o r a n y o f you. Thank you, molte grazie. Arrivederci, but not for too long." *** Memorial Day Obser- v a n c e ( M a y 2 9 , 2 0 2 3 ) . Memorial Day is confused with Veterans Day by many people. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sus- tained in battle. While those who died are also remem- b e r e d , V e t e r a n s D a y i s the day set aside to thank a n d h o n o r a l l t h o s e w h o s e r v e d h o n o r a b l y i n t h e military, in wartime, or in peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to t h a n k l i v i n g v e t e r a n s f o r their service, to acknowl- Advancing our Legacy: Italian Community Services CASA FUGAZI If you know of any senior of Italian descent in San Francisco needing assistance, please contact: ItalianCS.org | (415) 362-6423 | info@italiancs.com Italian Community Services continues to assist Bay Area Italian-American seniors and their families navigate and manage the resources needed to live healthy, independent and productive lives. Since Shelter-in-Place began in San Francisco, Italian Community Services has delivered over 240 meals, over 900 care packages and made over 2000 phone wellness checks for our seniors. e d g e t h a t t h e i r c o n t r i b u - tions to our national securi- ty are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacri- ficed and done their duty. The wearing of red pop- pies in honor of America's w a r d e a d i s t r a d i t i o n a l l y done on Memorial Day. Memorial Day reminds me that during World War II, when many Italian-Ameir- c a n s w e r e i n t e r n e d a n d f o r c e d t o m o v e i n l a n d t o w o r k a n d o p e r a t e t h e i r b u s i n e s s ( r e m e m b e r " L a Storia Segreta"?), their chil- dren were serving our coun- try. I n 2 0 1 2 , t h e U S P o s t a l Service issued the Medal of Honor Stamp. The Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor in combat, is presented "for conspicu- ous gallantry and intrepidi- ty at the risk of life, above a n d b e y o n d t h e c a l l o f duty." More than 16 million p e o p l e s e r v e d w i t h t h e A m e r i c a n A r m e d F o r c e s during World War II, but only 464 were singled out to receive the Medal of Honor. Among them, more than a dozen were Italian-Ameri- c a n s : g r a z i e J o h n B a s i l o n e , G i n o M e r l i , Vito Bertaldo, Anthony Casamento, Joseph Cic- c h e t t i , R a l p h C h e l i , M i k e C o l a l i l l o , P e t e r Dalessandro, Anthony D a m a t o , A r t h u r DeFranzo. You made us p r o u d , b u t t h i s i s , a l s o a storia segreta.

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