For many Italian Americans, World War II was a difficult era. The U.S. had declared war on their ancestral home, many were perceived as a national security threat and domestic sentiment towards citizens with Italian heritage was skeptical, at best.

Despite all these challenges, more than half a million Italian Americans joined and proudly served in the U.S. Armed Forces during WWII. In honor of Italian American Heritage Month this October, here are five Italian Americans you should know who made WWII history.