Rollo (Rolla) Grave Site (Cenotaph) And Gold Star Memorial
Details:
The grave memorial is located in the center section of the cemetery near the north side wall under the grave of his parents (Luigi Rolla).
The memorial is a traditional remembrance of a deceased family who died and is buried in another location. The memorial includes a photo and an inscription.
Emilio Rolla was born on December 15, 1890 in Boffalora sopra Ticino. He lived in Boffalora and when he was of draft age, served in the Italian Amy for 2 years. In 1913 immigrated to the United States. In the Unites States his last named changed to Rollo (instead of Rolla). Like many from Boffalora, he immigrated to St. Louis, Missouri. In St. Louis he worked for the Public Works Department and was married with one child. On October 3, 1917 he enlisted in the US Army and after training he was assigned to the 101stInfantry Regiment of the 26th Infantry Division. He arrived in France on June 29, 1918 and participated in several battles with the 101st Infantry Regiment to include the 2nd Battle of the Marne and the Battle of San Mihiel. During the great battle of the Meuse-Argonne, the final US battle of World War 1, Emilio Rollo fell on October 23, 1918, just before his 28th birthday. Rollo is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romagne-Sous-Montfaucon, France and is located in Plot B, Row 42, Grave 29. His family remembers him with a memorial on the family grave plot in the town cemetery of Boffalora in northern Italy. He is also remembered in France, where his name is inscribed on a wall at the 26th Division Church in the town of Belleau, France.
The Rollo-Calcaterra American Legion Post 15 on "The Hill" of St. Louis is named in his honor.
On December 12, 2020, the memorial was rededicated and a "Gold Star" was added to the grave site of Rolla's mother. This rededication was a collaborative effort of the Rotary Club-Magenta, The Rollo-Calcaterra American Legion Post 15 "The Hill", La Piarda Historical Association in Boffalora, and the American War Memorials Overseas.
Monument Text:
The text on the grave memorial is written in Italian and reads:
Il padre ricorda il figlio Emilio
Che nella Florida eta di 28 anni
Arroulato nell escerito americao mori’ in
Francia
Erge glorioso il 23 Ottobre 1918
The translation in English is:
The father remembers his son, Emilio
Who in his youth of 28 years enlisted
in the American Army and died in France
Gloriously on October 23, 1918
The middle portion of the lower grave includes the "Gold Star Court of Honor" plaque. It reads:
GOLD STAR
USA ARMY
PVT EMILIO ROLLO
K.A. 1918 A.E.F.
101 INF
COURT OF HONOR
St. Louis
The lower plaque is written in Italian and reads:
LEGIONE AMERICANA "ROLLO-CALCATERRA POST 15" ST. LOUIS- MISSOURI
STELLA D' ORO - CORTE D' ONORE
DEDICATO AL SOLDATO EMILIO ROLLO
(Rolla prima della Registrazione di leva 5.6.1917)
101 Reggimento Fanteria - 26 "Yankee" Division -US ARMY
FRANCIA
PRIMA GUERRA MONDIALE
Battaglia Cosa-Argonne
RIPOSA IN FRANCIA
CIMITERO AMERICANO
Romagne sous Montfaucon
ROTARY CLUB e LA PIARDA POSERO
23 OTTOBRE 2020
The Translation in English:
THE AMERICAN LEGION "ROLLO_CALCATERRA POST 15" ST LOUIS, MISSOURI
GOLD STAR - COURT OF HONOR
DEDICATED TO THE SOLDIER EMILIO ROLLO
(ROLLA before he Registered for the draft on 5.6.1917)
101st INFANTRY REGIMENT - 26th "YANKEE" DIVISION
FRANCE
THE FIRST WORLD WAR
BATTLE OF THE MUESE-ARGONNE
RESTS IN FRANCE
AMERICAN CEMETERY
Romagne sous Montfaucon
(Meuse-Argonne American Military Cemetery)
ROTARY CLUD AND THE PIARDA REMEMBER
23 October 2020
