AN ITALIAN STUDENT AND SOLDIER 
 
 *S OTTO-TEN ENTE MICHELE GRIECO 
 
 64th Reg’t Infantry, Italian Army 
 
 BORN SEPTEMBER 27, 1890, TERLIZZI, PROVINCE OF BARI, ITALY 
 DIED APRIL 22, 1918, WITH THE ITALIAN ARMY, MACEDONIA 
 
 
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 * Sub-Lieutenant -—2nd Lieutenant 
 
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 By 
 
 MRS. FRANCES H. ELDREDGE 
 
AN ITALIAN STUDENT AND SOLDIER. 
 
 T HE American International College, Springfield, Mass., 
 furnished its full quota for service in the Great War. The 
 majority were enrolled under the stars and stripes but 
 there were soldiers in the English, French, Italian, Greek and 
 Polish armies. There were also men and women under the 
 Red Cross and Y. M. C. A. and in important home service 
 impossible for people of one language and for those without 
 understanding of other nationalities than their own. 
 
 Only one was called to make the supreme sacrifice. This 
 sketch of a few years of his short life bears witness to the devel¬ 
 opment of mind and character under the influence of mission and 
 school, and may help to answer the question, “Are these worth 
 while ?” 
 
 In 1909, two young men, Michele Grieco and Carlo Iorio, 
 were employed as workmen in the building of an aqueduct in 
 Southern Italy. Their casual acquaintance quickly developed 
 into a friendship which was to increase in intimacy in the coming 
 years. The question before them, as before many others of 
 their age, was military service or emigration. Iorio decided 
 first and came to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in March, 1910, 
 where Grieco joined him in July of the same year. 
 
 They were both anxious to learn English and became members 
 of an evening class for Italians conducted by Paolo S. Abbate, a 
 former student in the American International College, then in 
 charge of St. Paul’s Mission. This acquaintance led them to 
 the religious services of the mission. On Easter Sunday, 1911, 
 they took their stand as Christians and became members of the 
 First Congregational Church of Pittsfield. Mr. Abbate speaks 
 of them as earnest, faithful workers. 
 
ATHLETIC WINNERS A. I. C. FIELD DAY, 1915 
 Lieut. Grieco at lower right hand corner 
 
Because of their eagerness to advance, Mr. Abbate advisea 
 and encouraged them to go to school. Meanwhile, they were 
 living and working together, saving every cent possible, econ¬ 
 omizing even in bread, for in those years work was scarce. There 
 was not money enough for both to start in the autumn of 1911, 
 so Grieco encouraged his friend to enter the introductory de¬ 
 partment of the American International College, promising to 
 help in the expenses of that year and to enter, himself, in 1912. 
 So he literally dug his way into his school life in Springfield. 
 
 The two friends were together there until the spring of 1916. 
 Carlo Iorio graduated from the academy that year, spent a year 
 at Amherst Agricultural College and began his sophomore year. 
 However, he volunteered in November, 1917, was in a replace¬ 
 ment regiment of engineers and was transferred to an officers’ 
 training school shortly before the Armistice. He has returned 
 to college, has worked hard to support himself and to make up 
 deficiencies. 
 
 As Michele Grieco continued his course in introductory 
 studies and in the academy, no one would have selected the 
 quiet unpretending Italian with few previous educational ad¬ 
 vantages as the future idealistic patriot and brave, resourceful 
 soldier. Those who learned to know him well, however, can 
 see that the elements of both were there. He was not a brilliant 
 student, but he went steadily forward in his own chosen ways. 
 
 His teacher in college preparatory English recalls his absorbed 
 silence, while others talked freely about the subject matter of 
 the lesson, and then the raising of his head, his winsome smile, 
 some short remarks, original and to the point, always worth 
 while. He read much in English and Italian, became more 
 familiar with European history from an Italian standpoint than 
 any of his compatriots in school, intelligently and fervently 
 tracing out the fulfillment of laws of cause and effect. 
 
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While lie worked, thought and reasoned as a man, he played 
 with boys as a boy in such a way that he was often classed with 
 those younger than himself. He had a few close friends to 
 whom he was unselfishly loyal, but such a spirit of comradeship 
 that no appeal to his sympathy was easily turned aside, even 
 though his self-interest was thus often endangered. He quickly 
 resented what he deemed injustice or dishonor and was ready 
 to champion the injured as generous impulse dictated. 
 
 He remained in the institution nearly four years, working for 
 his own maintenance, quietly gaining in knowledge and expe¬ 
 rience but never assuming leadership. In the Spring of 1916 
 his slowly formed purpose matured. He decided to give up 
 his cherished plans and to return to Italy to enter military 
 service. With few words he made preparations and was in 
 New York City, ready to sail April 21. He was among the 
 Italian soldiers who entered Monastir in November, 1916, of 
 which he wrote a graphic account a few months later. He 
 was made “caporale” in January, 1917, and had two narrow 
 escapes from death, as he undertook dangerous messenger 
 service. He also was in fierce fighting at the front. 
 
 In April, 1917, he wrote again from Italy where he served 
 in another regiment in the Alpine region, in what he called 
 “Italia Redenta.” He had taken a short officers’ course, suc¬ 
 cessfully passed examinations, had a brief furlough, during 
 which he sought out the mother of a much loved American 
 International schoolmate who died in New York in 1916, returned 
 to his own regiment in Macedonia, as “aspirante officiale” and 
 was placed in command of fifty men. In November, for a 
 special act of bravery, his name was proposed as “SottoTenente.” 
 April 19, while instructing his men behind the trenches he was 
 fatally wounded by the bursting of a hand grenade with a 
 falsified fuse, died in the hospital April 22, and was given a 
 military funeral the following day. . 
 
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A survey of the letters written during his last two years 
 shows that most of their space was given to intelligent considera¬ 
 tion of political and military conditions both in Europe and in 
 America. No matter where he was or how hard he was working, 
 he must have made every effort possible to keep in touch with 
 current events. His letters show wide, careful reading on these 
 lines and his allusions to historic events, statesmen, and soldiers 
 and to the English literature he studied in his academic course, 
 show that his mind was continually working out consequences 
 and comparisons. So, in turn, Mexican problems and diplo¬ 
 matic correspondence in America are commented upon as well 
 as movements in belligerent countries. He welcomed Amer¬ 
 ica’s entrance into the war and followed her progress, comparing 
 her internal troubles with those of Italy. He analyzed the mo¬ 
 tives for the invasion of Italy in 1917, and was proud of the 
 final resistance of the Italians, prophesying their future unity 
 and strength. 
 
 The following extracts from his letters, however, are chosen 
 to reveal his personality, his patriotism and his recognition of 
 what America had done for him. He seldom referred to personal 
 hardships and then only incidenally as a matter of course. All 
 his letters express thoughtful affection for friends and teachers 
 and appreciative loyalty to the American International College. 
 
 Of his first day in Italy, in Genoa, May, 1916, he writes: 
 
 “Let me tell you that what I liked best was the beautiful 
 cemetery of Staglieno. I went to see the tomb of that great 
 Italian martyr, Joseph Mazzini. It seemed that all the trees and 
 stones and the ground itself were shouting, ‘Take off your hat 
 and kneel down, for you are before the remains of a great man.’ ” 
 
 At Teano, August, 1916, waiting for orders, lie writes: “I 
 admire your land of liberty, as well as your principles of democ¬ 
 racy, your humanitarian spirit and your customs, and I shall 
 
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never forget that in America I have passed the best days of 
 my life. Very soon I shall be called to pay the tribute due by 
 every good Italian to Italy. If I lose my life or if I ruin my 
 future, I shall never be sorry while I do my duty for the land 
 which God chose for my native home.” 
 
 Later in 1916, in Macedonia between Lake Doiran and Lake 
 Doranbuk, in front of a high mountain on which the Bulgarians 
 are encamped, he writes: “Often in the quietness of the night, 
 observing the beautiful Macedonian sky full of stars which send 
 down to us their feeble light, I dream of you, of America, of the 
 A. I. C., of all the good teachers I have known, of the so many 
 friends; and such dreams stupify me till, facing the bright sky 
 I begin to sleep. Things come and go; others come and go; 
 and then others and others also will come and go; but a sublime 
 vision or a bad one will be left in the human mind and that 
 vision appears always in time of happiness or in time of sorrow 
 to relate the old happening.” 
 
 In February, 1917, in Macedonia, he wrote again: 
 
 “When peace comes I will find where peace lives and there I 
 shall live. But it does not mean I am sorrv, for I cannot be 
 sorry, understanding why I am fighting. It snows and snows 
 and we are under tents. Pray for me and for all those who are 
 fighting from both sides.” His last letter was written April 
 18, 1918, the day before he received his fatal wounds. He says: 
 
 “If I had been an American citizen, I would have fought, 
 if need be, not only against an ally of Italy but against Italy 
 herself. But being a true Italian I did not take American citi¬ 
 zenship. * * * If Italy were not in the war and the Lhiited 
 States had been in the same condition as today, I should have 
 been fighting for America as I am fighting for Italy.” 
 
 With the news of his death was sent a letter written at Teano 
 August, 1916, which was left with his sister to be forwarded. 
 
He says: | 
 
 “Let me tell you that I go to war, glad to do my duty for the 
 future of Italy and for the future freedom of Europe. I got this 
 spirit from the free and democratic United States of America. 
 I hate war, but I hate more the autocratic systems of Austria, 
 Turkey and Germany, and I am sure that the freedom of Europe 
 would be lost if nations like these should succeed in the greatest 
 struggle the world has ever seen. May God free the world with 
 all humanity from any other conflict of this kind. May God 
 inspire humankind with those principles more common in the 
 United States, and then only can we have a perpetual peace 
 and the triumph of the Prince of Peace. I believe that Italy 
 has done the best duty for Europe and for herself, and that the 
 entrance of Italy into the war has signalled the fall of the Cen¬ 
 tral Empire. That is why I gladly go to war, for there is a 
 great ideal.” 
 
 His ideal never left him. The gold star on the service flag 
 of the American International College does not stand for a 
 broken life but for noble service enlarged and completed. 
 
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 He has not been forgotten. The one gold star on the flag 
 hanging in the chapel has been a silent but not unheeded testi¬ 
 monial to his patriotism. His comrades have written and 
 spoken of their love for him, their appreciation of his qualities 
 of heart and mind. A Michele Grieco scholarship fund, slowly 
 built up by small contributions from former students and from 
 friends, will be in use in the coming year. It yields only a small 
 sum annually, but it is hoped that selection as a recipient will 
 be deemed an honor exceeding in value pecuniary assistance. 
 
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There are young men to follow in his footsteps, we believe, to 
 whom a call for service wherever it is needed will not be made 
 in vain. 
 
 Meanwhile we may say of him and of others to whom “The 
 New Death” was apportioned: 
 
 “They shall not grow old as we that remain grow old. Age 
 shall not weary them, nor the years condemn; at the going down 
 of the sun and in the morning we shall remember them.” 
 
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THE CONGREGATIONAL HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY 
 
 287 FOURTH AVENUE. NEW YORK