ACCORDING TO JIM / THANK A VETERAN
As part of our effort to acknowledge and thank veterans for their service and sacrifice, we have collected photos and bios for our “Thank A Veteran” program for the month of November.
Thank you to all the Veterans, active service members, and their families who have submitted photos for this program. We are extremely thankful to all those who have dedicated their lives to protecting our country, and we want to ensure their services and memories are not forgotten.
Staff Sgt. Frank Sammartino, U.S. Army. World War II
Meet Army Staff Sgt. Frank Sammartino, the recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. Here, Jennifer Sammatino, the Deputy Chief of Staff at Borough Hall, tells her grandfather's story. Frank Sammartino served in the United States Army in Europe during World War II. He had a dog named Mascot with him. He always loved dogs. One outstanding story that I’d like to note happened along the Rhine in Germany. After his unit was deployed to take a bridge, they arrived to find that the Germans had blown the bridge just moments earlier. Trapped by the collapsed bridge on one side and the arrival of the rest of their unit behind, the men soon found themselves under attack from the sky. Two German bombers were overhead shooting down at them and while the unit took to the ground, under trucks, and anywhere possible for cover, my grandfather and one other soldier hopped onto a truck and manned the guns. He successfully shot down one of those planes and got out with his life, and the lives of many members of his unit.
and worked for the U.S. Custom House.
Pvt. John Henry Sellenthin, U.S. Army, World War II
Pvt. John Henry Sellenthin joined the United States Army during World War II with his three brothers, Henry, George and Charles.
As an Army chef, he once lost his rank for giving sugar to a nun while stationed in Europe, his granddaughter tells us.
The four Sellenthin brothers returned home safely. After the war, John lived in Castleton Corners
Frank Russo, veteran of the Vietnam War
My name is Frank Russo living in New Springville, Staten Island. Of course like many, I grew up in Bay Ridge.
As a draftee, in 1970, my Basic Training took me to Ft. Dix and then to Ft. Bliss, Texas for Advanced training. Upon arriving at Ft. Bliss I was assigned to a C Btry5th Bn 2nd ADA Bde "Duster Unit.” Wow!, I thought. Sounds like an easy job. Must be a cleaning unit. I was wrong. The "Duster" was a tank.
During our orientation at Ft. Bliss, assembled into one large field, we were told not to worry because no one is headed for Vietnam except, it was the "except" that caught my attention, except those with MOS 16F. Immediately, I looked through my papers. Well, lo and behold, there it was, MOS 16F.
It was off to Vietnam following a short leave at home bidding farewell to family and friends. Ironically not one of my family members or friends spoke of Vietnam during my leave. However, I could see the tension in their eyes.
Off we went, young, and brave, to that far away land we kept hearing about, The Nam.
As we began our descent into Bien Hoa, we could see flares popping and lighting a haze in the sky. Suddenly the flight attendant's shaky voice came over the loudspeakers. At this time, we will be shutting off all the cabin lighting and to please close all the window shades, she said. While she didn't say it explicitly, we knew why this was being done. As we descended it got quieter and quieter in the cabin. Finally we touched down in Bien Hoa air base, Vietnam.
I suddenly realized the time and date. If having the winning MOS of 16F that got me here wasn't enough, it was my birthday, my 20th birthday. Maybe the flares were birthday candles.
Following our processing, we were transported to our unit's home base. As part of a Duster unit crew we were assigned to escorting convoys through the jungles. We would provide cover and, when necessary, take and return fire ensuring that the convoy continued on its mission and reach its destination.
No matter where and when, whether starry, or in the monsoon rains, nightly guard duty would quickly become a way of life, always hoping that we would see the next sunrise. The silence in the night was more frightening than gun fire. The waiting, the anticipation, the knowing that there was someone out there looking the take your life, all fed your mind.
But, of all my experiences in the far away land there was one that stood out. One that would, for some strange reason, generate recurring dreams of a faceless woman for many years to come. The event is not what one would think. It was not about combat. It was about life and irony in war.
It was 9:30 p.m. on a hot night in July. I was on guard when a lambro (three wheeled civilian cargo vehicle) suddenly approaches the main entrance of firebase Michelle. The vehicle comes to a screeching stop and a Vietnamese man exits waving his arms pointing to the back of his vehicle. Immediately, I pointed the M-60 machine gun at the individual and ordered him to "Dung Lai", meaning halt in Vietnamese.
Suddenly, I realize that there was a women laying on the back of his vehicle. I couldn't see her face. Flares started to pop for illumination. Could a ground attack be in the making? As it turned out that it was not.The woman was the man's wife, pregnant, and hemorrhaging. That's what he was trying to tell us.
The medics started an IV but now we now needed to get a Medevac chopper to get her to a hospital. Setting up an LZ (landing zone) in the dark was precarious It needed to be executed quickly and with precision. In the end, it was successful and word came back that she, and the life of the baby, were saved.
That was the irony. Here we are in the middle of a combat zone, each side looking to take lives, and yet this mission was to save a life and the life of an unborn, regardless of political or combatant affiliation.
And that is "Some of the Story" and someday I will give the "Rest of the Story".
My name is Frank Russo living in New Springville, Staten Island. Of course like many, I grew up in Bay Ridge.
As a draftee, in 1970, my Basic Training took me to Ft. Dix and then to Ft. Bliss, Texas for Advanced training. Upon arriving at Ft. Bliss I was assigned to a C Btry5th Bn 2nd ADA Bde "Duster Unit.” Wow!, I thought. Sounds like an easy job. Must be a cleaning unit. I was wrong. The "Duster" was a tank.
During our orientation at Ft. Bliss, assembled into one large field, we were told not to worry because no one is headed for Vietnam except, it was the "except" that caught my attention, except those with MOS 16F. Immediately, I looked through my papers. Well, lo and behold, there it was, MOS 16F.
It was off to Vietnam following a short leave at home bidding farewell to family and friends. Ironically not one of my family members or friends spoke of Vietnam during my leave. However, I could see the tension in their eyes.
Off we went, young, and brave, to that far away land we kept hearing about, The Nam.
As we began our descent into Bien Hoa, we could see flares popping and lighting a haze in the sky. Suddenly the flight attendant's shaky voice came over the loudspeakers. At this time, we will be shutting off all the cabin lighting and to please close all the window shades, she said. While she didn't say it explicitly, we knew why this was being done. As we descended it got quieter and quieter in the cabin. Finally we touched down in Bien Hoa air base, Vietnam.
I suddenly realized the time and date. If having the winning MOS of 16F that got me here wasn't enough, it was my birthday, my 20th birthday. Maybe the flares were birthday candles.
Following our processing, we were transported to our unit's home base. As part of a Duster unit crew we were assigned to escorting convoys through the jungles. We would provide cover and, when necessary, take and return fire ensuring that the convoy continued on its mission and reach its destination.
No matter where and when, whether starry, or in the monsoon rains, nightly guard duty would quickly become a way of life, always hoping that we would see the next sunrise. The silence in the night was more frightening than gun fire. The waiting, the anticipation, the knowing that there was someone out there looking the take your life, all fed your mind.
But, of all my experiences in the far away land there was one that stood out. One that would, for some strange reason, generate recurring dreams of a faceless woman for many years to come. The event is not what one would think. It was not about combat. It was about life and irony in war.
It was 9:30 p.m. on a hot night in July. I was on guard when a lambro (three wheeled civilian cargo vehicle) suddenly approaches the main entrance of firebase Michelle. The vehicle comes to a screeching stop and a Vietnamese man exits waving his arms pointing to the back of his vehicle. Immediately, I pointed the M-60 machine gun at the individual and ordered him to "Dung Lai", meaning halt in Vietnamese.
Suddenly, I realize that there was a women laying on the back of his vehicle. I couldn't see her face. Flares started to pop for illumination. Could a ground attack be in the making? As it turned out that it was not.The woman was the man's wife, pregnant, and hemorrhaging. That's what he was trying to tell us.
The medics started an IV but now we now needed to get a Medevac chopper to get her to a hospital. Setting up an LZ (landing zone) in the dark was precarious It needed to be executed quickly and with precision. In the end, it was successful and word came back that she, and the life of the baby, were saved.
That was the irony. Here we are in the middle of a combat zone, each side looking to take lives, and yet this mission was to save a life and the life of an unborn, regardless of political or combatant affiliation.
And that is "Some of the Story" and someday I will give the "Rest of the Story".
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Army Staff Sgt. Nicholas Castoro
“I entered the Army in February of 1968. I had basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., and Infantry training at Fort Lewis, Washington. I arrived in Vietnam in July of 1968 and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. We performed combat operations in the jungles and mountains west of the City of Hue and the A Shau Valley. We were relocated south to the areas west of Saigon such as Cu Chi, Parrot's Beak, Iron Triangle and other places along the Cambodian border. I became an infantry squad leader and reached the rank of Sergeant before returning home in September of 1969." Castoro is a resident of Annadale. PFC Frank P. Santarpia, USMC (02/01/25- 03/31/13)
My father enlisted in the Marine Corp the day he turned 18, in 1943, and after a year of stateside training was shipped overseas. There, on Guam and Iwo, he trained for amphibious landings. By that time, the United States Navy and Marine Corp had island-hopped almost all the way across the Pacific – almost.There was still one to go before the invasion of Japan, and that was Okinawa. PFC Frank Santarpia, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 29th Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division, 20 years old, went ashore with the first wave on the morning of April 1, 1945: Easter Sunday. Okinawa was the most heavily defended Pacific island of the war. By the time the island was secure, 12,513 brave American men were dead. The wounded numbered 38,916, and my father was one of them; he was shot on May 16th, during the Battle of Sugar Loaf Hill. He received a Purple Heart, spent three weeks in a makeshift island hospital, and was sent back to his platoon before the operation was completed. And as brave as he was, as remarkable as his story is, he was far from unique. He did his job alongside tens of thousands of other Marines, soldiers and sailors. In the same mold as any other American fighting for freedom, his actions represented the norm, not the exception – and every single detail about that battle had to be coaxed from him; he never talked about it voluntarily, and never thought he did anything special. -- Frank Santarpia Jr. Roger Acker
Army Germany WWII 1944-1946 Awarded: 1. Bronze Star Medal 2. Two battle stars 3. Purple Heart 4. Prisoner of War Medal 5. Distinguished Unit Citation 6. Good Conduct Medal 7. Legion of Honor Award from French Government Pictured with Ted Acker (left): Army Japan WWII 1945-1946 |
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James Burke
My uncle James Burke is a Korean War veteran who served on the battleship USS New Jersey from 1951-1953. To celebrate his 87th birthday, I accompanied him and family members to visit the USS New Jersey, now permanently berthed in Camden New Jersey as a museum. I felt deeply moved to observe my uncle retrace his steps as a young sailor, maneuvering many flights of stairs with ease, recalling his duty station in the engine room, walking through the mess hall, the sleeping quarters and all the portions of the ship open to the public. The USS New Jersey has a “wall of fame” and log book where any former crew members can sign. As we watched this gallant modest veteran sign his name in a place of honor, we could see that for him, it was more than a trip down memory lane. He quietly and internally appreciated the warm welcome he received from the staff of the museum and the salutes, both actual and symbolic, that filled his day. When he left the ship they rang three bells and announced his name over the loud speaker, “Happy Birthday Seaman Jim Burke. Welcome back and come see us any time”. To James Burke and all our U.S. veterans, we honor you on this Veterans Day. - Submitted by James Burke's nephew, Ed Burke |
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Vito G. Cannavo
US Army - Sergeant Philippines 1943 |
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Ted Cohen
Captain US Air Force. Strategic Air Command, 1959-1964. New York Air National Guard, 1969-1975. From Eltingville Photos from 2015 and of Pilot Training in 1958. |
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Lee Covino
Lee Covino is a US Army veteran who served in 1970-71. He became an advocate for vets affairs as a peer counselor while attending the College of Staten Island on the GI Bill from 1973-1977. From 1980-1984, he worked as an intervention counselor for the VA’s Vietnam Veterans Outreach Center in Brooklyn and Staten Island, assisting close to 1,000 Vietnam era and combat vets. In July, 1990, he was appointed to the Staten Island Borough President’s Cabinet, where he served as the Veterans Affairs Advisor and Director of Contracts & Procurement until his retirement in March, 2014. In May 2002, Covino was appointed to the City’s Veterans Advisory Board by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. He was re-appointed to the board by the Mayor in 2007 and in 2012, ending his term as Vice-Chairman of the Board in April, 2015. Over the years, Lee has played a major role in bringing the Vet Center and the VA Clinic to Staten Island, as well as in obtaining a Staten Island bus link to the VA Hospital in Brooklyn. Working with the Borough President, he helped coordinate annual Fleet Week activities, developed Operation Vet Care, which brought the VA’s outreach van to minority-based areas on Staten Island, Operation Vet Call, which assisted vets with resume development and job search through the State Department of Labor, and Operation Vet Link, which assisted veterans with learning basic computer skills through free courses donated by local business schools. He is a member of the VFW, American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Catholic War Veterans, AMVETS, the NYC Veterans Alliance and the 369th Veterans Association. Covino also serves as Treasurer of the United Staten Island Veterans Organization, Inc. (USIVO), an umbrella group of Staten Island veteran organizations which sponsor the annual Memorial Day Parade. Lee was installed into the CSI Alumni Hall of Fame in March, 1989. In 2004, the College of Staten Island Archives catalogued a collection of veteran’s issues which Covino was involved in from 1973 – 1994. An inventory may be found at: http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/archives/FindingAids/fa0011.htm Lee Covino lives in St. George. His daughter Mariel is an alumna of the College of Staten Island and Hunter College. |
Joseph P. Cuccia
Vietnam Veteran 1st Battalion, 5th Marines To My Father, My Hero! For your bravery, hard work, and dedication to our Country, and to our family, we thank you! -Submitted by his daughter, Jennifer Battiloro |
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Edwin J. Day
9/24/26 - 6/12/86 US Navy ME 2 World War II Ship USS Riegal which earned four battle stars during WWII. In 1944, the ship came under kamikaze attack as they were heading to the Philippines. The men aboard hurried to battle stations, and my Dad, who was 18 years old, ended up manning a 20MM gun station, where he was credited for taking it one of the Kamikaze attackers. Dad's name in inscribed at the US Navy memorial in Washington DC. The Avenue of Flags at the memorial symbolizes the spirit of patriotism and love of country, preserving America as a great nation. My Dad is buried at Calverton National Cemetery. He passed in 1986 after a three year battle with cancer. -Submitted by his daughter, Theresa Day Golat |
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Ed Elliott
Ed Elliott served during the Korean War from 1951 to 1953 as an Army medic, attaining the rank of acting Sargent. When he completed his military service, he returned home to continue his life of service working with the NYPD. He married and settled in New Dorp Beach. To this day, Ed remains active in the New Dorp Beach community, in particular in relation to the activities of the Kivlehan Chapter of Korean War Veterans and Corporal Allan F. Kivlehan Park. On each patriotic holiday, Ed can be found in the park placing American Flags in remembrance of the day. |
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Chaplain (Colonel) Ephraim Garcia
NY Army National Guard 1985-1987 US Coast Guard Reserve 1987-2008 US Army Reserve 2008-Present DEPLOYMENTS: 2002 - 2004 Operation Noble Eagle 2006 Katrina Salvage and Recovery 2006 - 2007 Operation Iraqi Freedom 2011 - 2012 Operation Enduring Freedom |
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Peter Jensen FN
Vietnam Veteran 1964/67 |
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Corporal Allan F. Kivlehan
After whom Corporal Allan F. Kivlehan Park and school were named. A native of New Dorp Beach, Allan Kivlehan attended P.S. 41, New Dorp High and Our Lady of Lourdes Church. At eighteen, he joined the Army and was called to serve in the Korean War in Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Shortly after arriving in South Korea, his truck convoy was ambushed and he was taken prisoner. Along with over 800 other prisoners, he was part of the Tiger Death March, a brutal, nine-day trek during which their captors killed an average of one man a day. Almost 100 American lives were lost during the march, including Cpl. Kivlehan's. He died on November 3, 1950, at the age of eighteen. Corporal Kivlehan was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. |
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Dana Magee
CEO of Community Resources and Chair of Community Board 2 on Staten Island
This photo shows him in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1968 aboard the USS Intrepid, where he served four years of active duty from 1967 to 1973, including his duty in Vietnam and two years of reserve duty from 1971 to 1973.
CEO of Community Resources and Chair of Community Board 2 on Staten Island
This photo shows him in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1968 aboard the USS Intrepid, where he served four years of active duty from 1967 to 1973, including his duty in Vietnam and two years of reserve duty from 1971 to 1973.
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Dr. Vincent Maligno
Major USAF (Ret.)
Served two tours in Vietnam and spent 24 in the Air Force active and Reserve retiring in 1993 as a Major.
Major USAF (Ret.)
Served two tours in Vietnam and spent 24 in the Air Force active and Reserve retiring in 1993 as a Major.
Corporal Vincent Marini
Served in the Korean War 1952-1954, Army Division, Heavy Weapons,
40th Infantry Division, 223 Infantry Regiment Company D.
Served in the Korean War 1952-1954, Army Division, Heavy Weapons,
40th Infantry Division, 223 Infantry Regiment Company D.
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Carl Marretta
He is a Purple Heart Veteran who served in WWII in the Battle of the Bulge. He is currently 93 years old and going strong! |
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Daniel McOlvin
Served with the U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne Division during 1970-1971. Alpha Battery 1st Battalion 319th Field Artillery. Rank at time of honorable discharge was Specialist 4th Class (E-4). |
Pfc Charles A. Navarino
United States Army
Served in Korean War
United States Army
Served in Korean War
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Jerome X. "Jay" O'Donovan
Councilman Jerome (Jay) X. O’Donovan was a decorated Vietnam War hero. A Marine through-and-through, he often told tales of seeing action with a unit of the South Vietnamese near the DMZ and the Mychan River. He also served as an adviser to the Marines in South Vietnam. Jay earned two Bronze Stars and a field promotion to the rank of captain during his one-year of action in Vietnam in 1972. He served in the City Council from 1983 to 2001. He died in 2014 at the age of 70. Jay, thank you for your service – semper fidelis. |
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Sgt. Edward J. Simas
United States Marine Corps
Served in Korean War
United States Marine Corps
Served in Korean War
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George "Sully" Sullivan
US Army
Spec 4
7th Army Division
Germany - Vietnam
1968 - 1970
Vietnam Veterans of America
VVA Chapter 421
Life Member
Honor Guard & Color Guard
US Army
Spec 4
7th Army Division
Germany - Vietnam
1968 - 1970
Vietnam Veterans of America
VVA Chapter 421
Life Member
Honor Guard & Color Guard
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Harvey Sumber
Harvey Sumber, the proud Marine who served in the Vietnam War
My father Harvey Sumber with my son Matthew (his grandson)
-Submitted by his daughter
Harvey Sumber, the proud Marine who served in the Vietnam War
My father Harvey Sumber with my son Matthew (his grandson)
-Submitted by his daughter
Sean A. Torres, Sr.
Corporal USMC 1986-90, 91 5th Battalion 10th Marines Pictured with his son, Sean Torres, Jr., USMC |
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Frederick Vinciguerra
Tank battalion US Army WWII 1941-1945 Served-Battle of Anzio, Italy and in Africa. He turned 98 this August and is grateful for all the events held for Veterans on Staten Island. |
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SMSgt John Wells
SMSgt John Wells is currently serving as a member of the U. S. Air Force Reserves, formerly a member of The US Marines Corps Reserves. In Feb 2017, he was received a nomination for Outstanding Airman of the Year.
SMSgt John Wells is currently serving as a member of the U. S. Air Force Reserves, formerly a member of The US Marines Corps Reserves. In Feb 2017, he was received a nomination for Outstanding Airman of the Year.
