"Guy" wrote in message
...

How about your folks.....

My father was forced by the fascist regime to fight in Africa and Balcans
to
conquire the "empire" and , in the progess, he met also with a bullet in
the
chest. After 8-11-1943 he letf, and joined the resistance against the nazi
which had occupied Italy. He knew English language so he was given the
radio
comunications with the Britts and Americans (whom we will never end to
thank
for what they did) until the end of the war in april 45.He died in 1972.


My grandfather was sent by his family in Sicily to the US as skies were
darkening in Europe just prior to WW1. He was about 17 and entered through
Ellis Island. He rolled cigars in Tampa and farmed in Central Florida for a
living. After Pearl Harbor, when Dad tried to convince my grandfather to
allow him to enlist in the USAAC, my grandfather resisted angrily. He was
concerned that Dad may end up bombing Italy. Dad had seen newsreels at the
movies that convinced him that being drafted into the infantry was not for
him. My grandfather finally relented and Dad enlisted in the Air Corps.
Fortunately he was sent to England rather than Italy.

Also, Dad's cousin, who served aboard the USS New York BB-34, jokingly
refers to his job as "tailgunner". I have an uncle who served in the
Pacific aboard the Escort Carrier USS Tulagi CVE-72. Another uncle served in
the 3rd Army directly under Patton and participated in the Battle of the
Bulge. I'm trying to find out more about his service history. Dad's uncle
(Uncle Sam!) was an armorer at a P-38 base in England and he and Dad were
able to occasionally visit while in England.

Tony P.