It’s been 75 years since 15 brave soldiers paddled their way to an Italian comune known as Ameglia, Liguria, for a covert mission during World War II known as “Operation Ginny.” The operation was breached and they were executed by the German army on March 26, 1944.

Among them was a soldier named Rosario Squatrito, 22, who was a resident of South Beach and a volunteer for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency. Joseph Squatrito, a late resident of Great Kills, wrote about his uncle in his book named, “Code name: Ginny,” which details the failed mission and the sacrifices the squad made together.