Evening star., 1922-01-13
Who's Who e..as essis.ssss A.":
L-Lieut. Gen. Giuseppe Vaccari
IEUT. GEN. GIUSEPPE Vac
Carl. chief of stan of the
Italian army and chief mill.

lEUT. GEN. GIUSEPPE Vac
Carl, chief Of staff of the
Italian army and chief mill
tary adviser of the Italian
delegation to the arms conference, is
that rare combination of eminent
strategist of high rank who can sit
back at headquarters and plan a sue
cessful battle. and the fighting field
officer. who, with his brigade. division
or corps. can go out and win a battle.
and personally valorous warrior. who
under his command by an .outstand-
ing act of individual bravery.
, Gen. Vaccari possesses the gold
medal for valor." To those familiar
with Italian war decorations this
tells it's own story. Not over twenty
fifty or sixty received it during all
the time Italian troops participated
in the world war. This gold medal
corresponds generally to our con-
gressional medal of honor and to the
Victoria cross, but Is, in sense, per-
haps an even more difficult decoration
to procure. 1t is conferred. like the
others, for an act Of personal bravery
above and beyond the regular call OF
a soldiers duty, and, furthermore. on
| this act of bravery some important
military advantage must hinge. The
| rescue of wounded comrade under
severe fire. for example, would not
entitle the rescuer to the gold medal.
although he would get the second
next best thing. the silver medal for
valor." Italians seldom express the
wish that a friend may get the gold
badge. for this usually implies. in ef-
feet. wish for his death. as Is
l1ANyi hx- hn cfof let; nf
medals given during the war. Gen.
Vaccari Is the only Italian general Of
dcer who received this decoration as
a corps commander. With it he re-
ceived a special promotion on the
field. Gen. Vaccari also possesses
Giuseppe Vaccari was born Feb
ruary :. 1866. IN cittadella. a small
town near Vicenza, a city in the
northern part Of Italy about twenty
FIVE miles from Venice. At the age
Of seventeen he entered the Italian
corresponds generally to West Point.
There future infantry. cavalry and
artillery officers are trained. Next
he entered the Italian School of War
at Turin. in Piedmont. He graduated
from, this institution; WHICH corre-
spends TO our Army War College, as
captain of the general staff and
was detailed to service at the general
staff headquarters in Rome, where
successive promotions came in due
time.
During this period Gen. vaccari
occupied an unusual post. Students
at the Italian Military Academy have
to take a course in naval tactics and
strategy, while pupils at the naval
academy at Leghorn must likewise
learn something of the principles of
land warfare. Gen. Vaccari was de-
tailed for a number of years as pro-
fessor Of the latter science at the
naval academy.
When Italy entered the world war
Gen. Vaccari was a brigadier general
OF infantry. Next he became chief
of stan Of an army corps and then Of
the famous Sd Italian Army. COM
manded by the Duke of Aosta. first
cousin of the king. The record of
the Sd Army was remarkably fne
one; the Implication is that 1t had an
excellent chief of staff. This army
operated first on the Carso plateau,
where the physical difficulties were
as heart breaking as the fighting was
fierce. and later occupied the right on
the Piave line
On the occasion of the great Aus
train offensive Of June Is, 1918, Gen.
Vaccari was serving as commander
of a corps occupying a small eminence
called Montello. On its left was Mt
Grappa, beyond which hay the Asiago