Horace T. West, an American Army sergeant during World War II
Horace T. West, an American Army sergeant during World War II , is one of the more notorious figures among American military personnel who committed war crimes in Europe. His name is most closely associated with the horrific Biscari Massacre, a dark episode that took place during the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943. West was born at a time when patriotism and military service were often seen as pathways to honor and respect. When the United States entered World War II, West, like many other young men, enlisted in the Army, driven by a mix of duty and nationalism. He eventually found himself serving with the 45th Infantry Division, which was fighting its way through Europe in the Allies' offensive against Nazi Germany. On July 14, 1943, after American troops had captured an airfield near Biscari in Sicily, West's unit became responsible for a large number of Italian and German prisoners of war. Amid the chaos that followed, West gave a horrifying order: to shoot all the prison...