I will break this down
so it's easy to follow:
so it's easy to follow:
WWll claims a Cedrone & a Tocci & then a parent.
The Cedrone Death: Pompeii Leone was Loreto Cedrone's nephew. It was his sister's son. Killed in action:
The Tocci Death:
John Lawrence Gentile was Grace (Gentile) Tocci's nephew. Grace was married to my grandfather Carmine Tocci. Her brother was Loreto Gentile. John Lawrence dies in a secret mission & most likely did not know he was part of it:
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/navy/massachusetts/g.htm
John Lawrence was on board the SS. Harvey in 1943 when he too was killed in action.
John Lawrence was on board the SS. Harvey in 1943 when he too was killed in action.
The SS Harvey was in Bari, Italy with a cargo only a select few knew about. Disguised were 500 tons of mustard gas bombs.
The bombs were meant only as a precaution to be used if the Germans resorted to chemical warfare.
The bombs were meant only as a precaution to be used if the Germans resorted to chemical warfare.
The Commander wanted to unload the bombs quickly but since only he & a few others knew they existed he didn't want to draw attention to the cargo, so they sat in the harbor for 5 days.
The German air force found & attacked all the ships in the harbor unaware of the SS Harvey's cargo. Once hit, the ship exploded disappearing instantly in a huge mushroom-shaped fireball:
Bari Italy was under the jurisdiction of British law. Churchill destroyed all evidence of mustard gas deaths & instead listed them as,
Bari Italy was under the jurisdiction of British law. Churchill destroyed all evidence of mustard gas deaths & instead listed them as,
" burns due to enemy action." Churchill's secrecy caused more deaths as victims especially Italian civilians died from lack of proper treatment.
In February 1944 following the death of his son, Loreto Gentile , distraught while installing a gutter on a home, slipped, falling & hitting a fence killing him instantly.
Below is a photo of John Lawrence Gentile, a newspaper clipping which details the story of his brother Pompeo (Chubby) Gentile who held off the Nazis for over an hour earning him a Bronze Star & the death of Pompeii Leone who died the same day his childhood friend Jerry Leone (no relation) stationed elsewhere was injured. Pompeii was killed in action trying to save soldiers in his platoon wounded under heavy fire:
Links are here:
Pompeo Gentile:
John Lawrence Gentile:
Pompeii Leone
No comments:
Post a Comment