War Stories

Second Class Radioman Samuel Cascio

A radioman on a Landing Ship Tank during World War II, Samuel Cascio and his crew delivered weapons, troops and other cargo throughout the Pacific. The only son among four children, Dr. Samuel Cascio was born in Chicago on Aug. 27, 1924, to Joseph and Josephine (Guercio) Cascio. His father, a barber, was born in Baltimore, and his mother emigrated […]
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Army Master Sergeant Darryl Chiostri

What started out as a brief stint in Vietnam for Darryl Chiostri blossomed into an illustrious 44-year career that encompassed a variety of roles in Military Intelligence and Civil Affairs. The younger of two sons, Darryl Chiostri was born at Cabrini Hospital to Louis and Mary (Doro) Chiostri, who were living at the time in an Italian neighborhood at 24th […]
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Army E-4 Specialist Salvatore Palazzolo

Serving in the Air National Guard while working for Southwest Airlines, Salvatore Palazzolo went from ongoing training and playing video war games to the realities of combat in the wake of 9/11. The eldest of four children, Salvatore Palazzolo was born in Chicago to Paolo and Giuseppa (Leone) Palazzolo. Salvatore’s parents emigrated from Cinisi, a small town in Sicily, to […]
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Army Technician Fourth Grade Ralph Pasqurella

Rejected for medical reasons and later trained as a medical corpsman, Ralph Pasqurella had his hands full during the invasion of Normandy and throughout the European campaigns in World War II. Ralph “Hack” Pasqurella was born in Melrose Park in 1917 to Gaetano and Gabriella Chiero Pasqurella, who immigrated to the U.S. as teens. His father came from Melizzano in […]
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Women’s Army Corps Corporal Marie Sartor Pawelek

A singer and pianist, Marie Sartor Pawelek used her talents to heal the wounded psyches of soldiers on the mend at Walter Reed General Hospital during World War II. Marie Sartor Pawelek was born 100 years ago in Eveleth, Minnesota, the only child of Luigi and Eva (Pivetta) Sartor. Her parents emigrated from a small town near Venice, Italy. With […]
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Army Staff Sergeant Daniel Donati

Born in Italy, Daniel Donati first stormed the Boot then battled his way across Europe to help liberate the continent from Nazi oppression during World War II. My father, Daniel (Adelmo) Donati, departed Genoa, Italy, with my grandmother aboard the SS Caserta and arrived at Ellis Island on Dec. 5, 1914. My grandfather was already in the U.S., and he […]
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Army Sergeant Edward Malatesta

Mired for months in the battle to take the Italian town due south of Rome, Edward Malatesta fought his way through Italy and France before mortar fire took him out of the war. Edward Malatesta was born on Nov. 8, 1924, the youngest of five children and the only son of Alessandro and Gulia (Ragnetti) Malatesta. His parents immigrated to […]
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Army Sergeant Emil Garippo

Trained initially as a typist and eventually as a medic, Emil Garippo witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of World War II as the battle raged down the road. Emil Garippo passed away on Aug. 21. The following article is based on an interview conducted on Aug. 8 and is published in his memory. Born in Chicago on April 1, 1923, […]
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Army Corporal Donald Ferrone

A bus driver with his father’s sightseeing company before World War II, Donald Ferrone played a key role in a unit charged with transferring materiel from England to Germany after the war. Donald Ferrone was born in Oak Park, Illinois, to Henry and Filomena Trimarco Ferrone, who were from the Little Italy on Taylor Street. He had one younger brother, […]
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