Fort Benning holds German and Italian Memorial Day ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 18

Fort Benning, along with all other U.S. military installations where World War II German and Italian prisoners of war are buried, holds the annual German and Italian Memorial Day ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Main Post Cemetery.

Remarks will be made by Lt. Col. Fabrizio Salerno, Italian liaison officer, and Lt. Col. Walter Shleef, German liaison officer.

A. Della Costanza Turner, honorary consul general of Italy, and Constance Heery, deputy of the German General Consulate in Atlanta, will also speak.

The 44 German soldiers and seven Italian soldiers buried in the post cemetery were incarcerated here as prisoners of war during World War II between 1943 and 1946.

In Germany, Volkstrauertag, or People's Day of Mourning, is a national day of remembrance similar to our Memorial Day.

It's open to the public. There will be a brief reception following the ceremony at the Fort Benning Conference Center.

Call 706-545-6674.