Last updated: January 20, 2024
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Italian Service Units of Boston
Submitted by the daughter of Guiseppe Cioffi (second from the left, back row).
At the beginning of World War II, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini joined in an alliance with Hitler's Germany. Shortly after the fall of Mussolini in 1943, Italy changed its allegiances and declared war against Germany. Now that Italy had joined the Allied forces, Americans at home began to see the many Italian prisoners-of-war (POWs) as possible allies themselves. By 1944, the United States had accepted about 55,000 Italian POWs, many of whom had never agreed with Hitler nor Mussolini and had never fought against the United States. Beginning in February 1944, Italian POWs already in the United States had the option to enlist in what became known as the Italian Service Units (ISU). Of the 55,000 Italian POWs, 45,000 joined the ISU.
Still considered prisoners, members of ISU wore uniforms that bore a patch that said "Italy," and a standard garrison cap. Work for many consisted primarily of loading military supplies to be shipped out, although they had additional tasks such as park cleaning and road construction. Those in Boston worked on Boston victory gardens.[1]
In March 1944, the US Military sent 1,800 ISU members to Boston. First housed at Camp McKay in South Boston, the prisoners received frosty treatment by locals. As a result of rising tensions with the South Boston community, 1,300 of the ISU members transferred to Peddocks Island in Boston Harbor a few months later. The 500 others relocated to Camp Myles Standish in nearby Taunton. The ISU members remained on Peddocks for about a year. During that time no one went absent without official leave (AWOL), and morale remained high. However, some records show instances of strikes and refusals to work during this time.[2]
Both on Peddocks and the mainland, the prisoners worked under supervision and earned $24 a month. On Peddocks Island, about 50 prisoners at a time received the status of "trustee." Prisoners who followed orders well received this status, which gave them access to other parts of the fort that prisoners typically could not enter. Trustees could also take a Sunday boat trip into Boston’s North End. These prisoners often found themselves eating dinner with Italian American families or attending Sunday mass. Those who could not leave the island often had visitors, though visitors could not stay overnight.[3]
Critical to the war effort, the prisoners saved the United States an estimated $230 million dollars, and over 90 million days of labor. The ISU units allowed US soldiers to serve in combat roles and prevented fewer men from being drafted. The program disbanded in September 1945 when the war ended. Those who served in ISUs received the option of being repatriated to Italy or becoming US citizens. Thousands took the United States up on their offer and became American citizens.[4]
Footnotes:
[1] Jessie Kratz, "The Italian Service Units of World War II in Boston – Pieces of History" last modified July 21, 2020; Cathy Stanton, "A Place of Quiet Adventure: An Ethnographic Study of the Peddocks Island Cottages," Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area, (2016), 160-166.
[2] Stanton, "A Place of Quiet Adventure: An Ethnographic Study of the Peddocks Island Cottages," 160-166; Jake Sconyers,"The Prisoners of Peddocks Island (episode 194)," HUB History: Boston history podcast, July 19, 2020.
[3] Sconyers, "The Prisoners of Peddocks Island (episode 194)," HUB History: Boston history podcast; Kratz, "The Italian Service Units of World War II in Boston."
[4] Kratz, "The Italian Service Units of World War II in Boston."