WW II Internment of Italian Americans
By Bob Small
Previously, we had discussed the hidden history of the German-American WW2 Interments,
Now we move on to the equally unknown internment of the Italian-American population. Some 1,881 Italian-Americans were taken into custody and detained during the war.
In 2010, the California Legislature passed a resolution apologizing for US mistreatment of Italian residents during the war.”
Though there were WWII restriction zones for Italians in places like San Francisco these were only on the West Coast, even though Eastern cities such as Philadelphia had large amounts of Italian-Americans.
Among the Italians affected were Giuseppe Dimaggio, who son Joe was possibly the most famous professional baseball player of his time. Even more bizarre, Ezio Pinza, possibly the most famous Opera singer of his time, was even arrested and imprisoned, albeit briefly, on Ellis Island.
Finally on Columbus Day, 1942, the US Attorney General announced the lifting of the stigma of “enemy” status.
When the crews of German and Italian merchant ships in Britain began to”sabotage their own ships to keep them out of British hands, the Italian crew members were sent to North Dakota. The thousand or so seaman who arrived at Fort Missoula in May 1941 eventually spent their “down” time “ presenting plays and musical performances, which townspeople occasionally were invited to attend. “
According to this article, Fort Missoula Camp Help during World War 11” Most of the men were deemed a risk because the hearing officers couldn’t be sure they were not a risk “ One notable member of the Alien Enemy Board members was Democrat Senator Mike Mansfield, who would go on to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
There are a number of discussions of this time, including Una Storia Segreta: The Secret History of Italian American …, Public Law 106-451 106th Congress An Act, and A Review of the Restrictions on Persons of Italian Ancestry …
See also
Proclamation 2527 and the Internment of Italian Americans
POW Camps in Pennsylvania – GenTracer
