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Friday, Sept. 3, 1976—THE LORDSBURG LIBERAL 7AEDITOR’S NOTE: For the next few months the Lordsburg Liberal will publish several Bicentennial stories written by local researchers. The local research was conducted by students enrolled in Dr. Phil Cook’s “Problems inAmerican History” class.By MOLLIE PRESSLERSpecial To The LiberalThere was never any question about whether or not the Italians should have been kept prisoners, for they were the enemy, the Fascisti, captured in the North African theatre of World War II. But though they were America’s foe, it is the Italian Prisoners of War who are seemingly remembered with the most fondness among former officers of the camp and the people of Lordsburg.Their arrival is well remembered. The American soldiers who delivered them to the camp had been with the Italians from the time of their departure from African shores. They had guarded the prisoners across the ocean on ship, and continued with them across the continent on train, until the final destination of) Lordsburg was reached. After being relieved of their charges of some months, the soldiers came into Lordsburg and “torethe town up.”D. M. Castleberry, formerPost Mess Sgt., remembers the Italians as “a good bunch of people. They worked for me in my mess hall and worked perfectly. You couldn’t beat ’em. I could even go off and leave them in charge.”Castleberry’s remarks are borne out by an inspectionreport of the International Red Cross: “prisoners areemployed in the mess hall for American officers, where they work as cooks and waiters. The American officers are very fond of Italian cooking and appreciate the manner in which the prisoners work for them.”Fond Of DrillFond of drill, the Italians spent hours marching, being remembered as perfectionists in this aspect. All of them, whether drilling or just walking, it seemed, took remarkably long strides, causing one to wonder if their goal was to “save shoe leather.”Quite amiable, the prisoners talked through the fences to some of the civilian workers at the camp, and their language, being similar to the Spanish spoken in this region, was understood.Often, when civilians employed in the fire department made routine inspections of the compound barracks, the Italians shared their specialties of cuisine and cnatted with the men. Noted as being good cooks, they made their own spaghetti and pastas, their favority native foods.Italian Quartermarter - Sgt. Antonio De Biasi, elected spokesman for approximately 3,483 Italian prisoners of war, evidently did well in organizing his charges. A camp newspaper was written by the men and mimeographed for sale in the canteen. Edited by Antonio Michetti and entitled Vita Nostra the paper consisted of drawings, articles, poetry,' sports news, theatre news,These Italians had a love for the theatre, and the prisoners erected stages in the recreation halls of each sector.One inspector from the War Department reviewed their theatrical activities:“One theatre group and orchestra have been active, both of them working together. They have given several performances mainly of a light type, music and sketches combined. At the time of my last visit, I attended one of them and thought it was nothing extraordinary, the menseemed to enjoy it.The cleverest thing in it for its ingenuity, was a revue of the different regions of Italy using a sort of television machine they have constructed to show the speaker giving a brief description and the typical pictures of the region at the same time that folk songs were sung.”With money donated from aCatholic association, the camp chaplain brought some musical instruments for the prisoners, who have organized an excellent orchestra.The orchestra furnished weekly entertainment to the prisoners and played for at least one civic organization, the Yucca Camp and Hospital Council, who met at theOfficer’s Club in November,1943.An educational reorientation program also was started for the prisoners. Classes included first and second courses in English, designing, motors, mathematics, Italian and stories, advanced and elementary German, French, Latin, philosophy, geography, physics, chemistry, botany, and accountancy.Significant attention was also given to sports activities.EntertainmentThe prisoners also had as entertainment a weekly movie shown at the post theatre. The movies were of a non-propagandic type, usually American films with superimposed Italian sub-titles. Although the prisoners looked forward to this opportunity, they felt the fee of 15c was “tooexpensive.”A small club of artists wasformed at the very beginning of the Italian stay, and they sold their paintings to fellow inmates, soldiers, and civilians. POW Aldo Fomoni, a former professor of art at the University of Milan in Italy, was purported to be an “internationally known artist.” His works were signed “Aldo Milano.” Mrs. Betty Smith Lazar of Lordsburg was one of his patrons and had her full-length portrait painted, the only full-length he did during his stay here.She recalls: “I went out to the camp twice a week to pose for him, several hours at a time. I had to take a member of my family with me, and two guards went into the compound with us and guarded while he painted.“The painting has been exhibited in several art shows since then, and the art critics have all said that it was a very good work of art.“He went back home to Italy after the war was over and resumed his professorship at the University of Milan. He used to write to me, and would always send me a Christmas card, up until a few years ago.”Fornoni also painted some murals which hung in the Officer’s Club. When the camp was placed on stand-by basis, Commander Carvolth offered these murals to Governor John J. Dempsey. The Governor wrote back:Dear Col. Carvolth:“I was very sorry to learn that the Prisoner of War Camp at Lordsburg is to be.closed. I would be most happy to have the murals painted by Aldo Milano for one of our state buildings at Santa Fe, but the people of Lordsburg advise me that they are very proud of these murals and are extremely anxious to have them kept at Lordsburg. For that reason, I feel that it would be most generous on your part if you would present the murals to the City of Lordsburg. I know the people would greatly appreciate your gift.”John J. Dempsey, GovernorThe murals were soon thereafter presented to the town ofcrossword puzzles, anagrams, and various camp news.TomatoesandChileHOT AND MILDFriday, Sept. 10, 1976 — THE LORDSBURG LIBERAL 7ALordsburg, presumablyreceived by the late Nat Gammon, the avor of the city.Because many of our area men had joined the armed ser-vices, a labor shortage resulted. The Italian prisoners proved invaluable to farmers at this time. A comprehensive article appeared in the Liberal in 1943:“Much of New Mexico’s million dollar cotton crop has been saved during the month of October by Italian Prisoners of War,” says Col. Ledbetter, Commanding Officer.“The critical shortage in farm labor in Western Texas and New Mexico is being met by these Prisoners of War. Faced with the certain loss of valuable crops for lack of farm help, cotton growers are daily weighing scores of tons of cotton that would otherwise have been lost.“We send these Prisoner of War work details only where critical labor shortages exist, never where they will compete with local workers. The cost of this labor to the farmer is always exactly the same as the prevailing wage in thatLEGAL NOTICELEGAL IN THE PROBATE COURT OF HIDALGO COUNTY, NEW MEXICO In the Matter of the Estate ofBLAINE BICKLEMANN, Deceased. Probate No. 1140NOTICE OF HEARING ON FINAL ACCOUNT AND REPORT STATE OF NEW MEXICO TO: All unknown heirs ofBlaine Bicklemann, deceased, and all unknown persons claiming any lien upon or right, title or interest in or to the estate of said decedent: Roger Leon Baughman, administrator, has filed his Final Account and Report, and on October 6, 1976, at 10:00 A.M., at the Probate Court in Lordsburg, New Mexico, the Court will hear objections thereto and the settlementspecific area.”Mr. Merrell of the Virden Valley Water UsersAssociation...says, “They saved our potatoe and onion crops. We don’t know what we would have done without thehelp of these Prisoners of War from the Lordsburg Camp.”In describing the way the job has been done, Col. Ledbetter said, “The best way to supply POW labor...where needed is to establish sub-camps in those areas, and for the local authorities or the county agricultural association to provide housing and truck transportation for the prisoners. The base camp in Lordsburg is responsible for guarding the Italians and also providing the food and clothing. Through John Augustine, the Dona Ana County Agricultural agent, Italian laborers are now working for the farmers in and around Las Cruces. In the two sub-camps in El Paso, nearly 1,400 Prisoners... a re at work daily. Mr. Harwell of the El Paso County Cotton Growers Association has done much to make the life of the Prisoners of War located at the Municipal Coliseum a happy and contented one. Ranches and farms near Lordsburg such as those in the Duncan Valley and Virden Valley are supplied with daily details from the base camp in Lordsburg.”Col. Ledbetter states that each sub-camp requires a complete administrative and supply set-up. “In addition, the recreation and religious welfare of the Prisoners...is our responsibility just as in the base Camp. A Catholic Chaplain, who speaks Italian, makes regular trips to attend to their religious needs and otherwise encourages the men. Regular Sunday services are held in all camps.”All who have seen a truck load of Italians singing lustily on their way to the fields have been stuck with their enthusiasm. The Prisoners of War at the Lordsburg campto help where the labor is needed.EscapesPerhaps being spread out in the above manner at subcamps contributed to the fact that the Italians hold the record for number of escapes in the history of the camp. One inspection report of February, 1944, reads: “At the time of the last visit, there had been two escapes of prisoners from the El Paso side camp. These two prisoners have never been recaptured. Since the arrival of Colonel Carvolth, two escapes have been reported from Lordsburg and twelve from side camps, all of whom, however, have been recaptured and confined in the guard house...for thirty days. Two prisoners who recently escaped into Mexico sent word through the police of Chihuahua that they wished to return. They found it most difficult to secure enough to eat, were tired of sleeping in jails and other detention places, and were only too glad when officers sent from Lordsburg arrived to accompany them to the comfort? of the prisoner of war camp at Lordsburg.” Compatibility with camp commanders, too, would seem to be a contributing factor in the number of escapes citedhere. Under Ledbetter, who, as stated previously, “treated them like a father,” there had been few escapes reported. Under Carvolth, who had stated that he found the Italians difficult to manage, there were reported 16 escapes in the two months he had been commanding. It would seem that Ledbetter had gained great favor with his prisoners.Perhaps it was one of Ledbetter’s prisoners about whom the following story is told: “One time, they took a bunch of Italians over to Virden or Red Rock to work in the fields, and when they rounded them up to bring them back to camp, they left one of them over there. He went up to a farm house there and knocked on the door. He couldn’t speak any English, and all he could say to the people was “Home, home!” He wanted to go home, meaning back to the camp. So they called up the authorities, and they hadn’t even missed him yet. They went over and got him and brought him back to his “home.”Shish KebabAncient Norsemen described the meat they cooked on a stick as “steik — today we call it Shish kebab.Effective Today:e not only anxious to get this ctra work, but are also gladGreyhoundDepotWill Close From12 Noon to 2:30 P.M.Go Greyhound and Leave the driving to us.404 E. Railroad Phone 542-3412
Newspaper Details
Lordsburg Liberal
Lordsburg, New Mexico, US
Fri, Sep 10, 1976
Page 7
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 27 May 2019
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