Yellow Ribbons Not Just an American Tradition
By Chiara Mattirolo
Army News Service
December 2, 2003
Camp Darby - Livorno, Italy -- Yellow ribbons signifying hope for a safe return have been popping up all over America for years. But when M1 Abrams tanks sporting yellow ribbons on their gun barrels returned from an Italian painting contractor, heads turned.
In an unsolicited show of solidarity in the war on terrorism, workers at Armanino Import-Export have been making their feelings known by adding yellow ribbons and prayer cards to freshly painted tanks.
Army Materiel Command's Combat Equipment Battalion-Livorno has been sending vehicles and equipment to civilian contractors in order to meet a high-priority mission. "I have been working in repainting vehicles for Camp Darby since 1997, I counted over 500 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles and over 150 tanks" said Umberto Armanino, one of the owners of the Armanino Import-Export, a father & son firm.
Armanino Import-Export first delivered two tanks with a bit of non-standard gear to CEB-LI on Sept. 11, 2003.
"I knew that I was sending these vehicles back on the anniversary of the Twin Towers terrorist attack, so I decided to place a yellow bow on each vehicle to express our sympathy to the United States" explained Umberto Armanino. Also attached was a hand-written card in Italian and English, saying, "May this vehicle bring you safely home by the grace of God..."
When LTC Sandy W. Pogue, CEB-LI commander, inspected the tanks, he was impressed by more than the top-quality paint job.
"I was amazed to such solidarity, especially in these contentious times. Yellow ribbons have a deep meaning to American soldiers and their families, so I was moved to respond to the Armanino's gesture," Pogue said.
Pogue visited the shop in the small Italian town of Carrara, in November to present coins and award certificates for continuous support and solidarity shown to Americans.
The Armanino family has a history of comradeship with Americans.
"My father rescued an American pilot that crashed with his plane in Sestri Levante, during World War II. He helped him crossing the Gothic line, and brought him to the United States Command. Since then, thru his bedtime stories, the United States has always been part of our family story," Umberto said.
"Right after World War II, I started collecting American jeep vehicles, I collected them from bases in Germany and in Holland. These were vehicles that needed repair and were no longer in use. I took them, brought them to my shop, completely restored them, and sold them to collectors" said Armando Armanino, ex- partisan, and owner of the company.
"Since then I continued working thru the DRMOs, mainly Livorno and La Maddalena, I buy old American items, I fix them and sell them. Now all of the family is sharing my project: My daughter Giuditta just opened an American military clothing shop in Sestri Levante, and we named it "Ground Zero" in honor of the victims of the Twin Towers terrorist attack," he said.
"There's always two sides to a story. We read and hear a lot about protests, but everybody needs to know that there is a lot of wonderful people here in Tuscany that supports us," said Pogue.
"It's a great honor for us to receive this recognition today" Umberto said. "America is a free country that always fought for democracy, the Americans are in Iraq to free the country from a dictatorship. America is a free country, we are allies and friends, we are there to fight for ourselves too."
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