World War II Honoree

Anthony Dominick Benedetto

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New York City, New York

Honored By

A Grateful American

HE WAS DRAFTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN NOVEMBER 1944, DURING THE FINAL STAGES OF WWII. HE DID BASIC TRAINING AT FORT DIX AND FORT ROBINSON AS PART OF BECOMING AN INFANTRY RIFLEMAN. PROCESSED THROUGH THE HUGE LE HAVRE REPLACEMENT DEPOT, IN JANUARY 1945, HE WAS ASSIGNED AS A REPLACEMENT INFANTRYMAN TO 255TH INFANTRY REGIMENT OF THE 63RD INFANTRY DIVISION, A UNIT FILLING IN FOR THE HEAVY LOSSES SUFFERED IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HE MOVED ACROSS FRANCE, AND LATER, INTO GERMANY. AS MARCH 1945 BEGAN, HE JOINED THE FRONT LINE. AS THE GERMAN ARMY WAS PUSHED BACK TO THEIR HOMELAND, HE AND HIS COMPANY SAW BITTER FIGHTING IN COLD WINTER CONDITIONS, OFTEN HUNKERING DOWN IN FOXHOLES AS GERMAN 88 MM GUNS FIRED ON THEM. AT THE END OF MARCH, THEY CROSSED THE RHINE AND ENTERED GERMANY, ENGAGING IN DANGEROUS HOUSE-TO-HOUSE, TOWN-AFTER-TOWN FIGHTING TO CLEAN OUT GERMAN SOLDIERS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL, THEY CROSSED THE KOCHER RIVER, AND BY THE END OF THE MONTH REACHED THE DANUBE. AT THE WAR'S CONCLUSION HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE LIBERATION OF A GERMAN CONCENTRATION CAMP NEAR LANDSBERG, WHERE SOME AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR FROM THE 63RD DIVISION HAD ALSO BEEN HELD. HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY AND RETURNED TO THE STATES IN 1946.