Obituaries

Lorrie Miller, general manager of the Dunes Manor Hotel, and David Del Russo, regional director of operations for OTO Development Group, on Nov. 30, donated the portraits of Milton and Thelma Conner to Atlantic General Hospital. Pictured, from left, are Toni Keiser, Atlantic General Hospital vice president of Public Relations; Miller; Del Russo; Don Owrey, Atlantic General Hospital president and CEO; and Steven Tyson, Atlantic General Hospital Foundation donor relations officer.

OBITUARY

RICHARD PAIRO SR. Easton

Richard Pairo Sr., age 85, of Easton, Maryland, died on Nov. 26, 2022, at Talbot House in Easton.

He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and was the son of Preston and Blossom Pairo.

Dick was a retired attorney and real estate agent in Ocean City.

He founded the Ocean City Paramedic Foundation, which has been supplementing the paramedics with major equipment purchases and training to ensure provision of the best possible EMS services to the local citizens and visitors to the OC area. He also founded the Ocean City Shrine Club, was the first ER of the Ocean City Elks and was a longtime member of Boumi Temple. He is survived by his wife, Joi Pairo; son, Rick (Melody) Pairo; and daughters, Sharon Jerlinski and Debi Pairo Burke.

He is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his special pup, Baby Boo.

A memorial service will be held on Dec. 16, 2022 at 2 p.m. at the Ocean City Elks Lodge, 13708 Sinepuxent Ave., Ocean City, Maryland.

Donations may be made to the Ocean City Paramedics Foundation, P.O. Box 3099, Ocean City, Maryland 21843. (info@ocpf.org).

R. Pairo

$1,445.

Eighth Italian army smashed by Red Army on Russian land

By Peter Ayers Wimbrow III Contributing Writer (Dec. 9, 2022) This week, 80 years ago, the Red Army was engaged in the destruction of the Eighth Italian Army, or “Armata Italiana in Russia —ARMIR.”

The Italians were commanded by Italo Gariboldi, who, from March 25, 1941 to July 19, 1941, had served as the governor–general of Libya and commander of the Axis forces in North Africa.

The ARMIR was created in July 1942, when, in response to the German Fúhrer’s call for increased participation by the other Axis countries, the Italian Duce sent four infantry and three mountain divisions to the Eastern Front.

These new divisions, joined two motorized infantry divisions – Torino and Pasubio – and the Principe Armedeo Duca d’Aosta Cavalry Division, which comprised the Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia – CSIR – that had been formed on July 10, 1941 and sent to the Eastern Front that summer under the command of Gen. Giovanni Messe.

The three original CSIR divisions were commanded by Roberto Lerici, Vittorio Giovannelli and Mario Marazzani. The Croatian Legion, commanded by Lt. Col. Egon Žitník, was attached to Gen. Marazzani’s Principe Amedeo Duca d’Aosta Cavalry Division.

Der Fúhrer’s attitude to Italian participation in 1942, stood in stark contrast to his attitude in 1941.

It was with great reluctance that the German Fúhrer accepted the Italian Duce’s contribution in 1941. Hitler felt – correctly – that Italian efforts would have been better served closer to home, in the North African Theater.

He didn’t understand why the Italians thought they were in a position to help the Germans with Operation Barbarossa, when only a few months earlier they had needed German assistance to stave off complete collapse in North Africa and the loss of Libya.

One can only imagine the effect that the 18,000 trucks and artillery tractors, 946 artillery pieces, 300 antitank guns and 52 anti–aircraft guns would have had on the North African campaign if, instead of being squandered in Russia, they had been incorporated into Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s Panzerarmee Afrika.

CSIR had been attached to Panzerrgruppe I, commanded by German Gen. Ewald von Kleist.

ARMIR was assigned to Armeegruppe B, commanded by Gen. Baron Maximilian von Weichs and was divided into three Corps – the XXXV, II, and the Mountain, commanded by Francesco Zingales, Giovanni Zanghieri, and Gabriele Nasci.

Gen. Zingales’ XXXV Corps was the original CSIR. Zingales had replaced Gen. Messe in November 1942, because Messe was constantly complaining to Rome of the materiel deficiencies of his troops.

Gen. Zingales’ XXXV Corps also contained the following: German 298th Infantry Division and 3 Gennaio Camice Nere Brigade, commanded by Arnold Szelinski and Filippo Diamanti, and a company of the elite Bersaglieri.

Gen. Zanghieri’s II Corps contained the Ravenna, Sforzesca and Cosseria Infantry Divisions, commanded by Francesco Dupont (who replaced Edoardo Nebbia after his capture on Oct. 3, 1942), Carlo Pellegrini and Enrico Gazzale. Gen. Zanghieri’s II Corps also contained 23 Marzo Camice Nere, commanded by Enrico Francisci, who had also commanded it during the Spanish Civil War.

The Camice Nere, or Blackshirts, were the rough equivalent of the German SS units, in that the Camice Nere were committed Fascist without, however, the training, leadership and superior equipment of the SS. Gen. Francisci’s 23 Marzo Camice Nere was so named to honor the date of the founding of the Fascist Party by Benito Mussolini on March 23, 1919.

Gen. Szelinski’s 3 Gennaio Camice Nere was named for the date when the Fascists took control of the Italian Parliament on Jan. 3, 1925.

Gen. Nasci’s Mountain Corps was probably the best trained and equipped, especially for the Russian winter, of any of the Italian units.

The Tridentina, Julia and Cuneense Alpine Divisions were commanded by Luigi Reverberi, Umberto Ricagno and Emillio Battisti.

On Aug. 20, the Soviets thought they saw an opportunity and launched an assault on the Italians. The Italians held, and after three days, launched a counterattack with Gen. Marazzani’s Principe Amedeo Duca d’Aosta Cavalry Division.

On Aug. 24, 1942, the Savoy cavalry regiment launched history’s last cavalry charge, resulting in 150 enemy dead, 600 captured and at

Italian troops in Russia, July 1942.

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Continued from Page 49 least 300 wounded, at a cost of 39 killed and 74 wounded, and 170 horses lost.

The horse carrying the regiment’s standard bearer returned to Italian lines, riderless and blind in one eye – but with the regiment’s colors! Everything was quiet on the Italians’ front from then until December.

In November, the Red Army had crashed through the Third and Fourth Rumanian Armies, which had been guarding the flanks of the German Sixth Army as it ground its way into Stalingrad. Now, the city, and Sixth Army, were surrounded by the Soviets.

The Red Army’s Southwestern Front launched Operation Little Saturn, on Dec. 16, against Gen. Gariboldi’s Eighth Army.

The Southwestern Front was commanded by Nikolai Fyodorovich Vatutin, one of the Red Army’s most talented commanders. He would be mortally wounded by Ukrainian partisans in the winter of 1944.

By the time of the Soviet offensive, Gen. Gariboldi’s Eighth Italian Army totaled 235,000 men, was equipped with 988 guns, 420 mortars, 25,000 horses and 17,000 vehicles.

However, it was woefully short of tanks and antitank guns.

There was very little that could stop the Soviet T–34 Medium, or KVII heavy tanks. The small arms were problematic as well.

The Italian rifle was the worst of any of the WWII combatants. And, other than the Alpini, the soldiers were not properly clothed to meet the Soviet ally, “General Winter.”

By Dec. 18, Gen. Vatutin’s Southwestern Front had destroyed Gen. Zingales’ XXXV Corps, Gen. Zanghieri’s II Corps, and Lt. Col. Zitnik’s Croatian Legion.

This left only Gen. Nasci’s Mountain Corps. In temperatures as low as –40°F, General Nasci’s Mountain Corps led the survivors 150 miles west to the new Axis positions and safety – all the while emulating the Emperor Napoleón’s Grande Armée, fending off the Cossacks.

On Jan. 26, 1943, Gen. Nasci’s Mountain Corps reached the village of Nikolayevka (since absorbed into the village of Livenka which has a population of 4,000) and which was defended by a Soviet division.

By now Gen. Nasci’s Mountain Corps had been swelled to 40,000 by Hungarians and Germans fleeing the onrushing Red Army.

However, only Gen. Reverberi’s Tridentina Division was still combat worthy. After a day of combat, the Soviets still held the village which barred the road to safety.

Finally, Gen. Reverberi climbed onto one of the last three tanks, yelled, “Tridentina Avantil” and led his men forward on a last desperate charge, which dislodged the Soviets and allowed the survivors to get to safety.

Gen. Batisti’s Cuneense Division was annihilated and the general captured. Gen. Ricagno’s Julia Division suffered a 90 percent loss including its commander, who was captured, while Gen. Reverberi’s Tridentina suffered a two-thirds loss.

Losses sustained by the ARMIR were devastating – 30,000 killed, 34,000 wounded and 60,000 captured, of which 10,000 eventually returned to Italy.

When the scarecrow-like survivors returned to Italy in the spring of 1943, it was the beginning of the end for Mussolini.

Next week: Winter Storm Mr. Wimbrow writes from

Ocean City, Maryland, where he practices law representing those persons accused of criminal and traffic offenses, and those persons who have suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own. He can be contacted at: wimbrowlaw@gmail.com.

to the editor Sports Complex price tag should scare residents

Editor,

The news that the proposed sports complex could cost $153 million should be terrifying to Worcester County taxpayers.

Over 50 percent of the voters rejected using bonds for the project. I suspect that the majority would have been greater if people had been aware of the price tag.

The Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) and its Florida-based consultant have once again visited with their long-time friend “Rosie Scenario.”

I simply do not trust their numbers for tax generation and job creation.

I urge the Commissioners to table the entire project. Take the time to have a series of honest discussions about a sports project.

The proposed plan is the wrong project at the wrong time at the wrong location.

David J. Deutsch Ocean Pines

Email letters to editor@oceancitytoday.net.

ITEMS NEEDED AT THE NO KILL SHELTER

FOOD

(We only feed the below specific foods) Verus chicken & oats dog canned/dry Verus variety cat canned/dry food Friskies variety canned cat food Purina Cat Naturals dry food Royal Canin Baby Cat dry cat food Small dog/cat treats – variety KMR kitten milk replacement TOYS

Kong brand toys for dogs – all sizes Cat toys – variety Dog toys – variety Chuck -it toys – large Feather wand cat toys Cat kicker toys Scratch pads/posts for cats VETERINARY CARE

Latex gloves – (S, M, L, XL) Non-latex gloves – (S, M, L, XL) Digital fast acting thermometers Batteries (AA, AA 9V)

OFFICE SUPPLIES

952 HP Printer Ink Copy Paper Black Pens Money/Rent Receipt Books Scotch Tape Duct Tape Post-It Notes

CLEANING SUPPLIES

O-Cedar Microfiber Twist Mop Cleaning Buckets Hand/dish soap Paper towels Fabuloso (lavender scented) Brooms/dust pan Toilet paper Bleach Liquid laundry detergent Hand Sanitizer Clorox/Lysol Wipes Contractor sized trash bags Kitchen trash bags

ITEMS NEEDED REGULARLY FOR WCHS * When in doubt, it is better for our animals to spend your donation dollars on cleaning supplies rather than off brand animal foods *

PET CARE

Cat/dog beds Fleece blankets Cat litter – scoopable or wood pellets Puppy training pads Snuggle safe heating discs Kitten nursing bottles Small ceramic water bowls Disposable food bowls Dog waste bags

OTHER

Gift cards to Walmart, Tractor Supply, Petsmart, Petco, Concord Pets, Food Lion, Staples, etc.

PLEASE DROP OFF YOUR HOLIDAY DONATIONS: COLLECTION SITE: Coldwell Banker Realty, Attn: Nancy Reither 12207 Coastal Hwy Suite D Ocean City Md. 21842

FALL SUNRISE

A boat makes its way through the ocean as the sun rises on a cool mid-November morning.

PHOTO COURTESY STEPHANIE STEINMETZ

PEA PICKING

Worcester Preparatory School’s first grade class learned about local agriculture and wildlife while on a field trip recently to Groundworks Farm in Pittsville, and Trap Pond State Park in Laurel, Delaware. The students picked and tasted snap peas and harvested carrots at the farm. At the park, they visited the nature center and participated in “Tracks and Trace” program. Pictured is Carly McCallum.