New memorabilia illuminates WW II turning point

Rose Mary and Chuck Kurgis journeyed to the museum from south suburban Crete to donate a remarkable trove of memorabilia from Rose Mary’s father, departed World War II hero Louis Venditti. Venditti was a member of the legendary “Band of Brothers,” parachuting behind enemy lines in the predawn hours of the D-Day invasion. He earned the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart for wounds received in action, the Belgian Croix de Guerre and the French Legion of Honor. He can be seen in one of the most iconic photos of the war, taken after the liberation of the French town of Saint-Marcouf following two days of fierce fighting. Among the memorabilia donated by the Kurgis family were a rare Belgium high-power 9 mm pistol, clickers used by the paratroopers to identify each other during night combat, and all of Venditti’s military decorations. Pictured above are the couple presenting a photo of Venditti along with his military decorations to museum Curator Steve Corbo.