Retired Army Major Lorenzo Fiorentino wowed an appreciative crowd with his knowledge of Illinois military monuments at an Aug. 22 presentation at the Italian American Veterans Museum. An author of a book on the subject, Fiorentino departed from the text to share several stories not covered in the pages of his well-researched and richly illustrated volume. Audience members were treated to tales of Otis Beverly Duncan, the highest-ranking African American in the American Expeditionary Forces at the end of World War I; Peoria’s Civil War monument, which disappeared for nearly half a century; and much more.
To purchase an autographed copy of Lorenzo’s book, click here.
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