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The Lost Mountaineers - documentary

 

The documentary was made by the Italian nonprofit association Fondazione Museo storico del Trentino and the Association Benàch, also a nonprofit WWII history group based in Torbole, Lake Garda who played a fundamental role in the research and search for the DUKW.

Synopsis

The documentary details the events surrounding the loss of these 25 men whose bodies were never recovered, despite the efforts of the United States Army . Their names were therefore added to the list of World War II Missing in Action (MIA).

It recounts the search for the DUKW and successive missions to survey the area and a mini submarine mission at Lake Garda

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The documentary film directed by Andrea Andreotti and Diego Busacca. The documentary focuses on the death of 25 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division who drowned at Lake Garda on the night of April 30, 1945 when their amphibious craft (DUKW) sank. It explains who the 10th Mountain Division were and chronicles the last days of actions for the 10th Mountain Division and the build-up to the disaster.

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Financing

The documentary was made by the Italian nonprofit association Fondazione Museo storico del Trentino (FMST) and the Association Benàch, also a nonprofit WWII history group based in Torbole, Lake Garda who played a fundamental role in the research and search for the DUKW.

The Italian version of The Lost Mountaineers premiered on October 8, 2023, in the Italian language version.

The FMST and the Association Benàch are still raising money to complete the English language version. Val Rios, Former President of the 10th Mountain Division Descendants and Friends, endorsed their campaign in an open letter in the 10th Mountain Division online newspaper Blizzard the film also received a grant from the 10th Mountain Division Association.

A GoFundMe campaign to complete the documentary film raised €7,870. The names of these donors are in the closing credits

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Supported by

The results seen in the documentary film are the of many fruit of many hours of work by many people from different organizations. - Volontari del Garda “Volga 2026”  - Promare  - Ictineu Submarines  - Denver Library  - Stories Behind The Stars “USA World War II Fallen”  - Honor for Heroes  - Pando Comando

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Featuring

Screenshot from The Lost Mountaineers - Gordon B. “Skip” Davis Jr. Major General ( U.S. Army Retired)

MG (U.S. Army RET.) Gordon B.Davis Jr  - COL (USAF, RET.) Jeff Patton  - Lorenzo Gardumi (Historian)  - Giovanni Sulla (10th Mountain Division expert)  - Luca Turrini and Mauro Fusato (Gruppo Volontari del Garda ODV - ETS)  - Antonella Previdi (Association Benàch)

Narrated by John Q Kubin

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The Fallen

The names of the 25 men who died at Lake Garda, from the 10th Mountain Division on April 30, 1945

​Below are the names of the soldiers this documentary film aims to honor.

B/605th FAB, 10th MD

  • Cpl. William R. Armstrong

  • Pvt. Merle Britton

  • Pfc. Willard E. Chapman

  • Pfc. Jerry T. Dillard

  • Cpl. Emory E. Hamilton

  • Pvt. Howard Harper

  • Cpl. James Harwell

  • Pfc. Edward E. Koskela

  • Pfc. Stanley R. Lade

  • Cpl. William E. Madara

  • Pfc. Frank J. Miller

  • Pvt. William C. Morrison Jr.

  • Pvt. Roger L. Murray

  • Pfc. Elmer C. Paulson

  • Pfc. Xwell Y. Reynolds

  • Cpl. Gayle W. Russell Jr.

  • Pvt. Frank Tame

  • Pfc. Charles E. Tannehill

C/605th FAB, 10th MD

  • Pfc. Walter J. Armstrong

  • Cpl. Max L. Champion

  • 1st Sgt. James S. Hilley

  • Pfc. Leroy A. King

  • Pfc. Norman B. Russel

  • Cpl. Richard Wright

52nd QM BN, 10th MD

  • Pfc. Nicholas Del Grosso

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