I wish to extend a special thank you to Tribune Staff Writer, Diana Roemer,
and the Editors, for preparing and publishing the wonderful Memorial Day
article honoring my brother, Christopher Paul Tambè.

It is very important to me that this honor and recognition be considered as
“representative” only….as a vehicle to honor ALL those who gave their lives
in service of our great country. Also, not to be forgotten, are the many who
served with distinction, enduring the worst hardships, and did return home…
…many of them physically injured…all of whom still carry with them,
and continue to live, the horror of their experience.

One of those is another older brother of mine, Angelo J. Tambè, who served with distinction in the Army Air Corps. Ange was assigned to the Eighth Air Forced based in England.…in the “suicide” position of belly turret gunner in a B-17.
Bombs stuck in bomb bay doors…swinging inches away from his position in the belly turret…bailed out over the English channel…refused to accept an assignment in the States as an Instructor upon earning his rotation home after flying 25 flights….
…insisted on returning to England to be with his crew buddies….and went on to fly almost 60 bombing flights over Germany, before being honorably discharged a couple of months before the end of the War.

Sad to say that Ange died about 12 years ago…always was and still is a hero to me.

At the Anzio/Nettuno U.S. Military Cemetery there are a number of memorial plaques
which commemorate all of our service men. [7,892 Killed…3,094 Missing in Action]

At each side of the cast bronze doors that mark the entry of the Chapel is
this dedicatory inscription in English and Italian:

" 1941-1945 * * IN PROUD REMEMBRANCE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF
HER SONS AND IN HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO THEIR SACRIFICE, THIS
MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"

Engraved over the apse in the Chapel is this message for all the Missing in Action:

" HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF AMERICANS WHO
GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY
AND WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN GRAVES "

Behind the altar is a panel that bears the translated text from
" The Greek Dead at Thermopylae" by Simonides:

" NOBLY THEY ENDED, HIGH THEIR DESTINATION * *
BENEATH AN ALTAR LAID, NO MORE A TOMB, WHERE NONE
WITH PITY COMES OR LAMENTATIONS BUT PRAISE AND
MEMORY, A SPLENDOR OF OBLATION * * WHO LEFT BEHIND A
GEM-LIKE HERITAGE OF COURAGE AND RENOWN, A NAME
THAT SHALL GO DOWN FROM AGE TO AGE "

We shall not forget our Heroes.
Joe Tambè