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The Italian American War Veterans will host a special Mass in honor of Veterans Day at 11 a.m. on Nov. 13 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii in Chicago. During the Mass, friends and relatives will be invited to bring colored candles to the altar with a card containing the name of deceased veterans. These names will be read aloud, and the candles...

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Mickey Garagiola spent nearly his entire life on the historic Italian district of St. Louis known as "the Hill," playing baseball with his brother Joe and neighbor Yogi Berra, both of whom went on to become catchers in the major leagues. Although Mickey's fame would not come from professional baseball, he shared in a special bond with his friend an...

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Rock Springs, Wyo., isn’t normally known for movie premiers. But on Sept. 25, members of the community gathered to hear the story of one of their own. Archie Hays American Legion Post 24 hosted a documentary film screening that details the horrifying journey of a World War II POW. It wasn’t until 10 years after his grandfather's passing that Mark P...

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A 98-year-old World War II veteran who took part in the D-Day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge and witnessed the German surrender during the war has been honored by France. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Louis Graziano was given the French Legion of Honor during a ceremony on Friday in Thomson, Georgia, where he lives. The honor...

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After guarding the Korean DMZ for most of his tour of duty in the Army during the Vietnam War, Luco Clarizio watched over fallen soldiers returning to the States, escorting their caskets from the airport to the cemetery. The oldest of two sons born to Dominick and Mary (Viola) Clarizio, Luco was brought into this world by his maternal grandmother i...

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Never in 100 years did Paul Catalano ever think he'd get to see his favorite baseball team play in Buffalo. But the 99-year-old World War II veteran got the surprise of a lifetime on Tuesday night. Catalano will celebrate his 100th birthday in September. He's a lifelong Yankees fan, and his grandsons took it upon themselves to make sure he got to s...

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Sunday marked the 77th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France in World War II. June 6 is also the birthday of a Rhode Island veteran who was among those landing on the beaches of Normandy. Rocco Marcoccio turned 100 years old on Sunday and celebrated in style with a parade in North Kingstown. Marcoccio also shared the secrets to...

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The Jefferson County Veterans Association held its annual Memorial Day program on Monday at Veterans Memorial Park located in Friendship Park, Smithfield. Guest speaker David Charvat of Dillonvale related about military personnel who sacrificed their lives in time of peace. Charvat, who flew jets off USS Midway, noted that in two years’ time, from...

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Launched in 2020 to remember the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, NIAF is recognizing Italian Americans who sacrificed, served and defended peace, freedom and democracy during the war through the #IAWW2Heroes initiative. This entry is a special submission from Richard Stangarone, in honor of his mother Mary Jane Leggero Stangarone. Mary...

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Just over 76 years after kamikaze pilots nearly sank the USS Bunker Hill, the aircraft carrier he was serving on, Frank Petriello was feted Thursday in his adopted hometown of Clifton.  Petriello, who turned 100 in March, represents the fewer than 9,000 living New Jersey World War II veterans, members of what journalist Tom Brokaw dubbed "The Great...

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