Mr. Ventura is a simple Sicilian farmer who, at age 3, witnessed the horror of war first-hand. His farm lies on the site of Ponte Dirilo where a hastily gathered force of scattered airborne rangers met an advancing Panzer column and stopped them with improvised explosives, grenades and courage. Mr. Ventura excavated and preserved the bunkers on his property and maintains this monument personally. He accepts no funds - freedom is priceless.
	Mr. Ventura recounted to us his memory of 3 American paratroopers lying dead on his driveway, seen in the foreground. Looking eastward along Highway 115, the ridgeline marks the advance of the Panzer column from Biscari to the highway (left to right.) They were opposed by a battered 180th Infantry Regiment, down to 1/3 their pre-invasion strength could hold no longer. Suddenly, the Gavin Force appeared from the east. Col. James M. Gavin, who would later distinguish himself during the Normandy Airborne operations, gathered scattered paratroopers from the surrounding area, organized a fighting force and marched to Ponte Dirilo we they met and engaged the Panzer column, stopping their advance.
	An artillery emplacement excavated by Mr Ventura. Bits of TNT could be found in the upturned earth.
	This line of Italian-made pillboxes faced the advancing Airborne Rangers from a ridge on the Ventura farm. Many paratroopers were killed to reduce them. The precarious position of the invasion force is apparent as the sea can be seen just two miles south of this position, the Ponte Dirilo bridge is to the left.
	Looking east from the bunkers to the Ponte Dirilo bridge over the Acate River. The 180th was driven south (right) of Highway 115 at the ridgeline. At that point, the Gaven force appeared. The German counterattack advanced no further south than the highway due to the efforts of the 82nd Airborne. The Panzer column was forced to turn right (toward the camera) and was persued by the Gavin Force.
	Tony Cisneros mans the bunker.