Alfonso Carrara was a young Italian-American, born in Chicago to Italian immigrant parents, when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Landing at Anzio and traveling to Milan, he translated for the American and British officers and photographed his experiences along the way. 

Happenchance is a timeless collection of drawings, letters, photographs and poems that commemorate intimate details and recollections of World War II’s Italian Campaign (1942–1945). Published posthumously, the book contains reflections on Carrara’s work and impact from the Italian Cultural Institute, art consultant Paul Berlanga, and Rolf Achilles and Alan Cohen, formerly of The Art Institute of Chicago.