PVT Philip Santoro

courtesy of Glenn

PVT Philip Santoro was born on 21 Nov 1914 in Reading, Pennsylvania.He was the 4th of 6 sons born to Michael and Domenica (Imbosimeto) Santoro. Both parents were natives of Italy. His father worked for the railroad. His brother became ill and died in 1937 after 2 weeks in the hospital.About 1939, Philip married Mary Dolores and the couple lived first at 5 South 3rd Street before ultimately moving to 527 Gordon Street in Reading. Philip supported the family of 2 by welding but his wife also worked as a dressmaker. The couple reported a 1939 income of $725 and $867 respectively.

Philip was not drafted until April 1944. After basic military training and a short furlough he was sent to the European theater in late September 1944. PVT Santoro was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 28 Oct 1944. It was less than a month later that PVT Santoro was killed in action in the vicinity of Baesweiler, Germany.

PVT Santoro was repatriated in late 1948 and buried in Long Island National Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York.

Mary Dolores Santoro did not re-marry before 1957 but she did move to Torrington, Connecticut. Philip had brothers who also served in the war. Joseph Anthony Santoro was a Coxswain in the U.S. Navy (1943-1945). James Santoro served as 1SG of B Company 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division in the South Pacific and was in service 1939-1946.