When American soldiers from PG 59 turned up in Falciano just days after their escape from the camp in September 1943, they were welcomed warmly by the residents of the entire village. In the weeks to come help was provided by 17 families. The coordination of this effort was undertaken by Saturnino Brandimarte, a captain of Italy’s Royal Army, who was now serving as the village schoolteacher.

Although the individual families filed Allied Screening Commission claims requesting compensation for their assistance given to the POWs, Captain Brandimarte himself filed a highly detailed report with the ASC to bolster these claims.

Note that although there are frequent references to six prisoners, two others—Ira Powers and Jack Hayes—also received help in Falciano. Ira and Jack left sooner than the others and succeeded in crossing the Allied lines. The other six were recaptured.

To read about one of the Falciano helpers, see “Antonio Ferretti—A Welcome in Falciano.”

Translation of the statement made by:

Capt. BRANDIMARTE Saturnino
Falciano di Aquasanta (Ascoli Piceno)

To the: ALLIED Command

With reference to the attached claim, and in order to make easier do you any further inquiries about the Allied PsW. I think it fit to give you the following information.

1 ) All the PsW. Whom I have assisted are Americans. The addresses of their houses are:

Warrenth DECKER [Warren Decker] – 310 South St., BARNESVILLE, Ohio – Private— A.S.N. 1304914
Mahlon F. BLACK – UTAHVILLE [Pennsylvania], R.D. [Rural Delivery] – Private – A.S.N. 15075251
Francis COLE – HOLLEY, New York – Corporal – A.S.N. 12017489
Alfredo NASTASI – Box 142 Roseto, Pennsylvania – Private – A.S.N. 1200979
6 Keith ARGRAVES – South East 20^th Avenue, PORTLAND, Oregon – Corporal – A.S.N. 39302734
Danni[e] COLE – HOLLEY, New York, R.F.D. [Rural Free Delivery] – Corporal – A.S.N. 12017475

3 ) These PsW. Were given full hospitality in Falciano from 3 October 1943 to 15 January 1944. I assisted them with the help of the 18 families living at Falciano, among whom I will evenly distribute the reward, if you think it fit to give any period.

4 ) The nature of assistance was: daily food; laundry; medicines and treatment when someone fell ill; supplying of clothes; underwear (shirts, pants, socks, jackets and trousers) and boots. For safety reasons, they did not live in our houses, but in the nearby caves or in hay-lofts where we had arranged some commodities for them: a sheet each and six woolen blankets that were supplied by the local population. All these items were requisitioned by the fascists, when they recaptured the PsW.

5 ) On January 9th 1944, were recaptured 2 PsW., and precisely: Pot. Warrenth DEKER and Cpl. Keith ARGRAVES. The other four were recaptured on January 15th by the Republican Fascist.

6 ) For this assistance, all the population of Falciano—and in a special way I—were persecuted by the Fascists, and the Germans menaced to shoot all of us, beaten and insulted us, and made several searched of our houses, even after the recapture of all the PsW.

I think that the above names PsW. Are now in German hands.

In faith, I am respectfully yours,
Signed: Capt. BRANDIMARTE Saturnino

CLAIM.

10 August 1944 Aquasanta (Ascoli Piceno)

Claimant’s name: BRANDIMARTE Saturnino

Period of assistance:

From: 3 October 1943 to 9 January 1944 to six PsW.

From 9 to 15 January 1944 to four PsW.

Nature of assistance:

Daily supply of food for 105 days, with the help of the population of the village.

I gave them only a few lire on the holydays when we used to play cards.

Six woolen blankets, vegetable mattress, sheets, woolen undervests, socks, shirts, and tobacco. Moreover, their laundry was washed, and they were treated when ill.

On another form contained in Saturnino Brandimarte’s file is handwritten the following notes of an outside investigator, dated 17 May 1946:

1/ Claimant a big helper & organizer in his area.
2/ I saw several letters from the PsW [prisoners of war] he helped, they correspond regularly.
3/ 6 PsW x 2 wks [weeks] x f [I assume food]
1 blanket
give max. gua. [maximum general unspecified assistance]

Here are the details from the rest of the file:

Saturnino Brandimarte

Claim No. 15985
Claim received: 30 December 1944

Claimant’s name: Brandimarte Saturnino Fu Vincenzo
Claiant’s address: Acquasanta (Ascoli Piceno)

Prisoners assisted:

A.S.N. Number: 12017475 – Name: Cole D. – Rank: Corporal – Unit: U.S.A.
A.S.N. Number: 12009579 – Name: Nastasi A. – Rank: Private – Unit: U.S.A.
A.S.N. Number: 39302734 – Name: Argraves K. – Rank: Corporal – Unit: U.S.A.
A.S.N. Number: 12017489 – Name: Cole F. – Rank: Corporal – Unit: U.S.A.
A.S.N. Number: 14046442 – Name: Hayes J. [Jack Hughes] – Rank: Private – Unit: U.S.A.
A.S.N. Number: 35100087 – Name: Privers [Ira Powers] – Rank: Sergeant – Unit: U.S.A.
A.S.N. Number: 1304914 – Name: Warren H. W. [Warren Decker] – Rank: Private – Unit: U.S.A
A.S.N. Number: 15075251 – Name: Mahlon J. B. [Mahlon J. Black] – Rank: Private – Unit: U.S.A. 

[Note there are several errors above: 35100087 is the A.S.N. Number for Warren H. Decker, 15075251 is the A.S.N. Number for Warren H. Decker, and 13049014 is the A.S.N. Number for Mahlon J. Black]

Value of food and lodging supplied: 2,200 (recommended)

Value of clothing supplied: 800 

Money advanced: –

General unspecified assistance: – 5,000

8,000 [Total]

Recommendation for award: Grade IV

Designated for payment by A.S.C. [Allied Screening Commission]: 31 May 1944 
[A receipt in the claim file acknowledges the payment was received by Saturnino Brandimarte.]

To A.S.C. (Italy) Rome.

Claim

I the undersigned Brandimarte Saturnino of the late Vincenzo living at Acquasanta (Province of Ascoli Piceno) wish to bring to your notice as follows:

On the 17 February 1947 an officer of this Command issued to every person at Falciano a reward in cash for the assistance given to all the Allied Ps.O.W. and particularly to 6 of them who remained in this Village until 20 September 1943 (date in which they were captured by the fascists.) I thank you for the generous reward you have given us.

It is however my duty to bring to your notice as follows: Two people who have been the most active in helping the a/m Ps.O.W. have not been rewarded. Their names are:

FERRETTI Sante of the late Giuseppe
CIARROCCHI Giuseppe of the late Giovanni
PALANCA Francesco of the late Luigi who has supplied for 8 days these a/m Ps.O.W. with food has received only 1.500 lire.

Three other people who live at Vallefusella (frazione near Falciano) and have assisted the 6 Ps.O.W. from 20 September to 1 October 1943 have not been rewarded. (Their names were not on the list of helpers sent in by Ferretti Ernesto of Vallefusella.) Their names are:

PORFIRI Vincenzo of the late Paolo
GASPARI Luigi of the late Antonio
CORDA Anna of the late Pacifico
All are of Vallefusella.

I was the organizer of these helpers. The a/m have come to complain to me for having not been paid. This assistance was given for humanitarian reasons. Because [of] the war, the economic conditions of these villagers are very bad. A help in cash, as has been given to the others, would be greatly appreciated. I beg you to take into consideration the fact that: 6 Ps.O.W. have been treated brother-like by these people from 20 September 1943 to 15 January 1944 the assistance was also rendered to Ps.O.W. in transit. For the a/m reasons many villagers were beaten up. (I too risk my life when fascists put me against the wall to shoot me because I refused to tell them where the Ps.O.W. were hiding.) The whole Falciano risked to be burned out and was searched many times. Besides cigarettes, medicine, food, lodging, etc., we supplied these Ps.O.W. with five blankets, palliasses, bed-sheet, stout clothes, and other clothing that were taken by the Germans! I hope the best will be done to help these persons.

Here with names of Ps.O.W. who can certify that the a/m facts are true:

1/ Warrant Deker [Warren Decker] – 310 South St., Barnesville, Ohio – Private— A.S.N. 1304914
2/ Alfredo Nastasi – Box 142 Roseto, Pennsylvania – Private – A.S.N. 1200979
3/ Francis Cole – Holley, New York – Corporal – A.S.N. 12017489
4/ Dannie Cole – Holley, New York – Corporal – A.S.N. 12017475
5/ Mahlon F. Black – Utahville, R.D.1 [Rural Delivery 1], Pennsylvania – Private – A.S.N. 15075251
6/ Keith Argraves – South East 20^th Avenue, Portland, Oregon – Corporal – A.S.N. 39302734

With regards, 
Brandimarte Saturnino of the late Vincenzo 
Falciano di Acquasanta, Province Ascoli Piceno

The following Italians provided assistance to the six Allied POWs from 3 October 1942 to 15 January 1943. 

The helpers are categorized by name, surname, and paternity (indicated by “fu”),  number of prisoners assisted (six in all cases), number of days food was provided – days lodging was provided (as listed below), and accommodations (Domenica Tosti is the only one listed as providing accommodations, for a total of 8 days).

[Paolo explained to me that in Italian “fu” (was) means that the father is dead. When the father is still lliving, one writes “di” (of). Paolo says this is an old way to identify persons that is no longer used.]

Under the category of clothing and bedding provided, (Saturnino Brandimarte and Pietro Brandimarte are each credited with providing one blanket; Maria Ferretti, two blankets; Sante Ferretti, a straw mattress; Vincenzo Palanca, a coat; and Guido Ferretti a sheet).

Brandimarte Saturnino fu Vincenzo – food provided 7 days – 5000 lire compensation
Brandimarte Donato fu Raimondo – food provided 3 days – 2000 lire compensation
Brandimarte Pietro fu Vincenzo – food provided 7 days – 4000 lire compensation
De Marzi Carlo fu Luigi – food provided 2 days – 2000 lire compensation
Ferretti Maria fu Giovanni – food provided 8 days – 3500 lire compensation
Ferretti Luigi fu Filippo – food provided 7 days – 3000 lire compensation
Ferretti Antonio fu Giuseppe – food provided 8 days – 3000 lire compensation
Gagliardi Vincenzo fu Domenico – food provided 7 days – 3000 lire compensation
Ferretti Giovanni fu Filippo – food provided 3 days – 2000 lire compensation
Tosti Domenica fu Emidio – food provided 7 days – 3000 lire compensation
Ferretti Sante fu Giuseppe – food provided 7 days – 3500 lire compensation
Palanca Francesco fu Luigi – food provided 7 days – 3000 lire compensation
Palanca Vincenzo fu Luigi – food provided 8 days – 3500 lire compensation
Palanca Santina fu Luigi – food provided 7 days – 3000 lire compensation
Giarrocchi Giuseppe fu Giovanni – food provided 8 days – 3500 lire compensation
Carosi Lavinio fu Giovanni – food provided 2 days – 2000 lire compensation
Ferretti Guido fu Giovanni – food provided 7 days – 3000 lire compensation

It appears from the list that funds were disbursed to these 17 claimants through the mayor on 17 May 1946.

Appendix “A” reads:

COLE. F.  “Claimant mentioned. Address Aquasanta de Falgiano. Capt BRANDEMARTI helped us evade capture for 4 months and two ? and furnished 6 men including myself with food & shelter. Cole also gives his betrayers in Aquasanta as follows – Louis Ferreti and some relation of his whose christian name is Amerido & whose brother’s name is Olinda. Also the Marshall of Aquasanta who turned them over to the Germans.”