Since 2015, as the Franklin County Historic Letterkenny Chapel Committee formed and the Franklin County 11/30 Memorial & Veterans Trail came into being, the connection to the history of the Italian POWs and their families grew. In addition to the premiere of the documentary, the Franklin County Visitors Bureau is showcasing the Letterkenny Italian POW story in the lobby of the 11/30 Visitors Center. The exhibit opens September 6 and is available to view until November 11, 2024.
Preview the trailer here.
The History
Before America entered World War II, the U.S. military sought locations for ordinance depots to maintain, store, and issue weapons, ammunition, combat vehicles, equipment, and other military-needed materials. Letterkenny Township in Franklin County PA was selected because of its excellent location along the Atlantic seaboard and its closeness to Washington DC. The depot required thousands of acres of farmland and displaced about 1000 of Franklin County’s 70,000 residents. Any discontentment about the acquisition ceased after the December 7, 1941 strike on Pearl Harbor. Franklin County residents wholeheartedly supported the depot. Less than a years later, the depot was an active part of America’s participation in the Ally effort.
By September 1943, Italy signed an armistice with the Allies, and Italian POWs agreed to sign an allegiance to the United States, In May 1944, 1250 repatriated Italian soldiers came to Letterkenny Depot. They formed the 321st Quartermaster Battalion, helping to order, stock, and ship military supplies and equipment to support the Ally efforts in the Pacific and Europe.
These men missed their homes and loved ones. It was a difficult time. They turned to their faith to guide them, seeking out the counsel of clergy, who wisely suggested channeling the loneliness into beneficial tasks. Out of a melancholy and somber time when war encircled the world and thousands of miles separated the Italian service men from their families, a good and lasting accomplishment emerged. The repatriated soldiers helped to build the depot and a chapel. By using the materials from the farmhouses, barns, and other structures, the men of the ISU incorporated the elements of their homeland into the chapel and created a lasting artifact of a significant time in American and world history.
The Letterkenny Chapel is a prime representation of Italianate architecture with the characteristic square tower, quoined brickwork, and curved arches above the windows and doors. Today, it is maintained by the United Churches of Chambersburg and is adjoined by the Franklin County Veterans and 9/11 Memorial Park. The chapel and park are the launching point of the Franklin County Military Trail of History.
In 1945, Letterkenny Chapel was dedicated by the Pope’s Ambassador to the United States to commemorate peace and reconciliation between Italy and the United States. For more than 35 years, it served as a military chapel for Letterkenny Army Depot. Today, the historic chapel serves as an ecumenical, interfaith and multicultural meeting place of fellowship and worship.
The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore Franklin County PA and enjoy trails of history, arts and architecture, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods, and the warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason Dixon Line and is an easy drive from Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Discover more; plan a visit soon at ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com or by contacting 866.646.8060.
Media Contact
Janet Pollard, Franklin County Visitors Bureau, 7175522977, [email protected], www.ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com
SOURCE Franklin County Visitors Bureau
