Franklin County Visitors Bureau is hosting an exhibit, titled “Letterkenny World War II Italian Prisoner of War Experience” in the lobby of the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center. The exhibit is on display through Veteran’s Day 2025 and remembers the stories of Italian POWs, their time at Letterkenny Depot, and the Letterkenny Chapel, built by the POWs of Letterkenny.
The North African campaign of World War II began in June 1940 and ended in May 1943 with the surrender of the Axis powers in Tunisia to the Allied forces. The Allied victory in Africa allowed for the invasion of Sicily, which the Allies captured in July 1943. More than 51,000 Italian POWs crossed the Atlantic Ocean and were detained in more than 140 locations throughout the United States. Letterkenny Depot housed 1250 repatriated POWs. These men formed the 321st Quartermaster Battalion and served the Allied cause by ordering, stocking, and shipping military supplies, which supported the forces in the Pacific and Europe. These men were housed at Letterkenny from May 1942 to October 1944.
About three dozen Italian families of the Italian prisoners of war visited “Letterkenny World War II Italian Prisoner of War Experience” exhibit on September 11, 2025, and enjoyed an evening to celebrate the friendship that has grown between Chambersburg PA and the communities of Italy where the POW families reside. In addition to the exhibit, the Italian contingent visited the Letterkenny Chapel. The chapel is an excellent representation of Italianate architecture with the characteristic square tower, quoined brickwork, and curved arches above the windows and doors. Most importantly, Letterkenny Chapel represents faith and friendship, which grew out of the experiences of the Italian POWs and the community that supported them in this difficult time across the world.
The visitors also viewed “Fedelta. Soldier. Prisoner,” a documentary created and produced by Stephen Mancini Productions. The documentary won Best Feature Documentary Award at the Dallas MovieFest. Stephen Mancini won Best First Time Director for “Fedeltà: Soldiers. Prisoners.” at the 2025 Bomarzo Soulplace Film Festival in central Italy. The public is invited to enjoy the exhibit Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. It is also open on Saturday, 10 AM to 2 PM, and Sunday from 11 AM to 2 PM. A booklet called “Letterkenny World War II Italian Prisoner of War Experience Through Photos, Memoirs, Letters, and Diaries” is available here and overviews the exhibit currently on display in the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center, 15 South Main Street in Chambersburg.
Underground Railroad
