Tuesday, July 5, 2016

PVT Frank A. Samartino

Born Francesco A. Sammartino on 20 Nov 1910 in Dunkirk, New York, Frank (the name he apparently used most of his life) was the 5th of the 6 children born to Ignatius Henry and Ann (Capenella) Sammartino. His father worked in a locomotive shop and as a carpenter in a seed factory earning a reported 1939 income of $540. Frank hand completed 2-years of high school and had married Frances Godlewski in September 1931. The couple would have a daughter in January 1932. He was working as a musician in a dance band in 1940, had only worked 4 weeks and reported a 1939 income of $200.

Frank was drafted in April 1942 and after his basic military training was sent to England and assigned to Headquarters 3rd Battalion 116th Infantry as a truck driver. He trained for and participated in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach on 6 Jun 1944 and continued to serve with the unit until killed in action on 5 Jul 1944.

PVT Samartino rests forever in the Normandy American Cemetery.

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