A Brief History

My father, Jim Stevens, as one of the soldiers of the 601st Tank Destroyers, was on active duty for the entire engagement of the North African Campaign and The European Theater of Operations in WWII - for over 4 years. He experienced 546 days of actual combat. While he fought at the Kasserine Pass and El Guettar in North Africa and then in France and Germany, it is the Italian Campaign that I have chosen to focus on. Jim has often said that he would have liked to return to Italy. For him it would have been a ritual journey allowing him to reconcile the brutality of the war he fought with the people, culture, beauty and history of the country that he also experienced. At 91, he cannot take that journey so I am taking it for him.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Mille Grazie




Many thanks to Ron and Judy Drez, our tour guide and “den mother” on this trip. Ron was patient with my naïve questions about military strategies and took the time to personalize the trip for me, pointing out locations and situations unique to the 601. Judy counted heads, handled the details and was a wonderful source of information about the beautiful foliage we saw along the way. We have found new friends in Ron and Judy.

The tour was an excellent balance of military history, culture, art, and fun. I traveled with a wonderful group of people who appreciated the significance of this trip for me.



My sincere thanks to the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It is through their generosity that I was able to make this incredible journey and share it with my family. It has been a once in a lifetime trip that has broadened my understanding of my father’s experience, given me a deeper appreciation of Italian culture and history, and helped me grow as a teacher and a person. 
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