77 years after US soldiers in WWII stole birthday cake, Army ‘returns’ it to Italian woman, now 90

ROME — With a spherical of “Joyful Birthday” in Italian and English, the U.S. Military toasted an Italian girl with a birthday cake Thursday to switch the one which U.S. troopers ate as they entered her hometown throughout one of many ultimate battles of World Battle II.

Meri Mion, who turns 90 on Friday, wiped away tears as she was introduced with the cake throughout a ceremony in Vicenza, northwest of Venice. The occasion marked the anniversary of the day the 88th Infantry Division fought its manner into the town on April 28, 1945.

In keeping with the U.S. Military, Mion spent that night time along with her mom hiding within the attic of their farm within the close by village of San Pietro in G. Retreating German troopers had fired on the home, however when Mion awoke on the morning of her thirteenth birthday, American troopers have been close by.

In an announcement, the U.S. Military Garrison Italy mentioned Mion’s mom baked her a birthday cake and left it on the windowsill to chill. However it disappeared – apparently nicked by hungry American troopers who had already been feted by grateful Italians with wine and bread as they entered Vicenza alongside its important thoroughfare.

Mion appeared genuinely shocked that U.S. troopers had returned the cake 77 years later. She marveled “Mama mia” and “Grazie” as a small crowd that includes U.S. commanders and Italian officers sang “Joyful Birthday.”

“Tomorrow, we’ll eat that dessert, with all my household remembering this glorious day that I’ll always remember,” Mion mentioned, in response to the U.S. Military.