Originally assigned to the Army Finance Branch in Kentucky, Louis Mirabelli soon found himself behind the controls of a tank on the battlefields of Korea. One of six children, Louis (Lou) Mirabelli was born in Chicago. His parents, Enrico and Mariane (Mirabelli) Mirabelli, emigrated from Cosenza. The growing family moved from apartment to apartment in the vicinity of Taylor Street […]
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Part of an elite strike force that led the charge to unseat Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, Sammy DiTusa and his battalion left the country 20 days later with a victory in hand. On Dec. 17, 1989, President George H. Bush gave “Operation Just Cause” the green light, setting in motion the U.S. invasion of Panama. The goal was to capture […]
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Opting for the Navy instead of college, Georgiann Callaway found professional fulfillment and adventure on six continents during a stellar 20-year career. Georgiann “Gigi” Callaway was born in Chicago and grew up in LaGrange Park, one of four girls born to Andrew and Ann (Beres) DiDonato. Her father’s family was from Calabria. Callaway enjoyed a close relationship with her […]
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Frank Clarizio wasn’t even 20 years old when he took part in one of the pivotal clashes in World War II: The Battle of the Bulge. At one point in the five-week-long fray, howitzer in hand, he squared off against a Nazi tank. Frank Clarizio enlisted in the Army at the age of 18 and was assigned to the 106th […]
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The son of a World War I veteran, Fred Randazzo served with pride during World War II and dedicated his life to supporting all veterans before and since. Editor’s Note: This story was first published in the November 2019 issue of Fra Noi, when the world was blissfully unaware of COVID-19 and Fred Randazzo was busily preparing for the 30th […]
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An airfield controller in England during World War II, Bob Pasquesi did his best to assure that the pilots in his fighter group took off and landed safely. One of five children, Bob Pasquesi was born in Highland Park in 1924. His father, Sante Pasquesi, emigrated from Modena, Italy, at the age of 13 to join his uncle at Gonnella […]
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As a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape instructor, Ron Centanni trained everyone from foot soldiers headed for Vietnam to astronauts headed for space. The oldest of two sons, Ron Centanni was born in Chicago to Paul and Ida (DeMuro). The family lived on the 3400 block of Flournoy Street in a two-flat owned by Centanni’s paternal grandparents until they moved […]
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A Navy corpsman during the Vietnam War, Sam Scardino was so severely wounded in a landmine explosion that doctors initially thought he had perished in the blast. The second of five children, Samuel Scardino was born in Chicago to Samuel and Doris (Marquardt) Scardino. The family lived in the Italian neighborhood of California and Arthington avenues, near his grandparents, Vincenzo […]
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Ascending to the rank of brigadier general, John Fascia spent the bulk of his illustrious 30-year career in the National Guard keeping the peace during riots and responding to major disasters. John Fascia was born in Chicago and lived in the Italian neighborhood of Lexington Street and Kedzie Avenue for several years until the family moved near Homan Avenue and […]
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An Army radio telephone operator during the Vietnam War, Sam Fantino emerged from one of the war’s bloodiest battles with a battered bugle that has become a part of military history.
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