This Christmas, Association Benàch laid wreaths in Torbole to honour the 25 Missing in Action 10th Mountain Division soldiers, and BG William O. Darby with Sgt. Maj. John T. Evans. Learn more about their sacrifice and our remembrance work.

As the year draws to a close, all of us at Association Benàch would like to wish our friends, supporters, partners, and community a peaceful Christmas and a New Year filled with hope. This past year has once again reminded us why remembrance, research, and education matter. Through school visits, historical projects, and the sharing of personal stories, we have seen how the history of the Second World War continues to resonate — especially with younger generations discovering

Today, we are proud to share an important new step in the journey of “With Love, Billy”, our documentary dedicated to the life and legacy of BG William O. Darby, founder of the U.S. Army Rangers. This new video marks the beginning of a strengthened mission: to tell Darby’s story with integrity, depth, and humanity, honouring his family and the Rangers community, past and present. It is a story that continues to inspire, and one we are committed to bringing to the screen with

Last week marked a deeply meaningful moment for Associazione Benàch. The Lost Mountaineers , our documentary dedicated to the memory of the 25 soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division who drowned in Lake Garda on 30 April 1945, was screened on both sides of the Atlantic — in Italy and in the United States — during the days surrounding Veterans Day. This symbolic timing made these screenings even more poignant. The Associazione Benàch team presenting The Lost Mountaineers to th

Yesterday, history came alive in a way none of us will forget. For our upcoming doc, With Love, Billy , dedicated to Brigadier General William O. Darby, we recorded an extraordinary interview with Mrs. Zoe Ann Batten (102) — who knew Darby simply as “Billy,” the boy next door in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mrs. Zoe Ann Batten and her daughter's, Sarah batten Lourn (L), and Sally Batten Haislip (R) 📍 Fort Smith Museum of History 🌍 Connected live with Nago–Torbole, Italy She rememb

Thank You to Camping Maroadi – Our New Supporter in Torbole We’re proud to welcome Camping Maroadi as a new supporter of the Association Benàch here in Torbole sul Garda. Their belief in our mission helps us continue to preserve and share the WWII history of Lake Garda — keeping local stories alive for both our community and visitors from around the world. Thank you, Camping Maroadi, for standing with us to protect the past and inspire the future.   www.campingmaroadi.it Phot

A pair of original 10th Mountain Division ski-mountain boots, donated by a 92-year-old resident from the Lake Garda region. The original soles were replaced after the war when the boots were reused by a local Italian — a powerful reminder of how valuable such equipment was to civilians in the difficult years following World War II.

We are deeply honored to announce that The Lost Mountaineers will be presented at the Denver Public Library — thanks to Keli Schmid , the amazing 10th Mountain Division Archivist, who recently inaugurated the Associazione Benàch Welcome & Research Centre here in Italy. Keli will now be hosting a special screening of our 10th Mountain Division documentary! 📅 Date: Sunday, November 9 🕚 Time: 11:30 a.m. 📍 Location: Denver Public Library The Lost Mountaineers tells the movi

Associazione Benàch is proud to be producing With Love, Billy , a documentary about William O. Darby, founder of the U.S. Army Rangers....

On Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., Honour for Heroes will host a deeply moving memorial ceremony at the American Legion Post...

Welcoming the Return to Italy Group in Torbole This September, Association Benàch was honored to welcome the Return to Italy group—descendants of 10th Mountain Division soldiers—back to Torbole. It was a time of remembrance, reconnection, and shared history. Together, we visited meaningful sites, including the plaque marking where Brigadier General William O. Darby and Sergeant Major John “Tim” Evans were killed on April 30, 1945, and the lakeside monuments honoring General D

On a very special day in Torbole last Tuesday, Keli Schmid , Archivist for the 10th Mountain Division at the Denver Public Library in...

🎥 On Saturday, 27th September, The Lost Mountaineers was screened at Militaria alla Torre in Bologna, one of Italy’s largest military...

On Sunday, September 21, Association Benàch was proud to stand alongside nearly 500 people and 124 associations at the Festival of...

A U.S. paratrooper from Vicenza salutes over the waters where the DUKW sank, as a wreath honors the 25 missing soldiers of the 10th...

The Association Benàch is proud to announce that our documentary, "The Lost Mountaineers," will be presented on Saturday, 27th September,...

The Association Benach is delighted and proud to have presented our 80th Anniversary Memorial Coin to Howard Koch, a veteran and 1LT of...

We are proud to introduce Thomas Hames , a descendant of Eugene S. Hames (K Company, 85th Regiment, 10th Mountain Division) . Thomas will...

In 2025, Benach APS marked the 80th anniversary of the 10th Mountain Division’s liberation of Lake Garda with moving ceremonies, family...

We are proud to announce the release of our latest book: “Il misterioso razzo tedesco caduto sul monte Baldo nel 1944 / The Mysterious...