Canicattì massacre

The Canicattì massacre (or Canicattì slaughter) was a massacre that occurred in Canicattì, Italy following its capture by American forces. During the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, eight unarmed Italian civilians were killed by U.S. Army officer George Herbert McCaffrey. The town of Canicattì had already surrendered when U.S. troops entered, following heavy German bombardment during their withdrawal.

History

Upon arrival, U.S. troops received a report that civilians were looting a bombed factory and filling up buckets with the factory's products: food and liquid soap. At around six o'clock in the evening, Lieutenant Colonel George Herbert McCaffrey, the military governor of Palermo, and some military police arrived at the factory. When the crowd refused, McCaffrey ordered his troops to fire into the crowd. When they refused, he drew his sidearm and opened fire on his own. At least eight civilians, including an eleven-year-old girl, were killed, albeit the exact number of casualties is uncertain.

McCaffrey, 63, died of a heart attack in New Jersey on January 25, 1954. He had been undergoing treatment for tuberculosis at the time of his death.

The incident remained virtually unknown until Joseph S. Salemi of New York University, whose father witnessed it, publicized information about it.

See also

• List of massacres in Italy
• Allied war crimes during World War II

References

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