A woman’s cake that was stolen 77 years ago by the U.S Army Garrison in Italy was recently replaced in a heartwarming gesture.
The World War II soldiers took off with the homemade birthday cake in 1945 after they were stationed near her home in Italy.
Meri Mion thought she would have the most wonderful cake served to her on her birthday, her mother who had just finished baking it, kept it on their window sill for it to cool off.
That’s when the 88th Infantry Division that was battling German forces close to her home in Vicenza, Italy, made off with it to the disappointment of the then 12-year-old Mion who had been sheltering from the fighting in the attic of their family’s farm in San Pietro in northeastern Italy.
Col. Matthew Gomlak, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Italy said that “resourceful American soldiers” had taken the cake, which meant that Mion would never get to taste that cake on her birthday. “Her happiness turned into disappointment,” Gomlak said in a statement.
Mion might have forgotten about that incident but the U.S. Army Garrison Italy did not and they decided to replace the cake that she had not tasted all those years ago for her 90th birthday. So, on April 28, Sgt. Peter Wallis, presented her with a new cake, the military police soldier from Seabeck, Washington said, “It was a little awkward, but it makes me feel great to give her the cake,” Wallis said.
What a thoughtful and kind act by our Army who could have easily forgotten about it but it shows us the tender and soft side of our tough men in uniform. So many times we feel God has forgotten about us and doesn’t care for us, but that is not the truth, because God says we are the apple of His eyes and that He has carved us in the palm of His hand.
Deuteronomy 32:10 “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.” Isaiah 49:16 “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”
The celebration for Mion’s 90th birthday was attended by hundreds of local residents who along with the U.S. Army Garrison Italy, Italian soldiers and veterans, carabinieri, and U.S. veterans sang the Italian and English versions of “Happy Birthday” for Mion.
Her birthday cake was like no other because it had white and chocolate frosting, candy pieces, and fresh fruit, along with a written message that said: “Happy 90th birthday” She said to the U.S. Army Garrison Italy, she was going to share the cake with family on her actual birthday which was on the next day.
Mion expressed gratitude to the U.S Army Garrison Italy for the sweet gesture that she said, she would never ever forget in her life.
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