JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
On the morning of Feb. 21, 2025, U.S. Army North hosted a joint ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston with a delegation of senior Brazilian Army leaders and diplomats to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the World War II allied offensive, Operation Encore — known as The Battle of Monte Castello to Brazilians.
“Today provides a moment to reflect on those who served before us and helped the allied forces break through Nazi defenses,” said Lt. Gen. Allan M. Pepin, commanding general of U.S. Army North. “We remember their bravery, grit, cooperation, and the ‘never quit’ mindset that allowed Brazilian and U.S. Army forces to complete their mission.”
The ceremony included the unveiling of a commemorative monument at Fort Sam Houston, a salute battery, live music by the 323rd Army Band "Fort Sam’s Own," an impromptu WWII museum organized by G Company — a WWII living history detachment of the Texas Military Forces Museum — and a light lunch with a gift exchange between Brazilian dignitaries and U.S. Army North leadership.
Retired Gen. Eduardo Antonio Fernandes, the Brazilian military consular to the United Nations, praised U.S. WWII veterans present at the ceremony. “As we celebrate this historic partnership, born in the trenches of Italy in 1943, we reflect on the camaraderie that emerged from our collaboration. Our enduring friendship remains strong today.”
Operation Encore was a key offensive in which the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, alongside the U.S. 10th Mountain Division under the command of the U.S. Fifth Army, aimed to break the Gothic Line in Italy. A major victory of this campaign was the capture of Monte Castello, which secured a vital route to Bologna during the Mediterranean Campaign.