World War II Honoree

Anthony D. 'Tony Bennett' Benedetto

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Queens, New York

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE WAS DRAFTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN NOVEMBER 1944, DURING THE FINAL STAGES OF WWII. BASIC TRAINING AT FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY 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. 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, CROSSED THE RHINE AND ENTERED GERMANY, ENGAGING IN DANGEROUS HOUSE-TO-HOUSE, TOWN-AFTER-TOWN FIGHTING TO CLEAN OUT ENEMY SOLDIERS; DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL, CROSSED THE KOCHER RIVER, AND BY THE END OF THE MONTH REACHED THE DANUBE. DURING HIS TIME IN COMBAT, HE NARROWLY ESCAPED DEATH SEVERAL TIMES. 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 STAYED IN GERMANY AS PART OF THE OCCUPYING FORCE, BUT WAS ASSIGNED TO AN INFORMAL SPECIAL SERVICES BAND UNIT THAT WOULD ENTERTAIN NEARBY AMERICAN FORCES. HIS DINING WITH A BLACK FRIEND FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AT A TIME WHEN THE ARMY WAS STILL SEGREGATED, LED TO HIS BEING DEMOTED AND REASSIGNED TO GRAVES REGISTRATION SERVICE DUTIES. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE SANG WITH THE 314TH ARMY SPECIAL SERVICES BAND, AND HE PLAYED WITH MANY MUSICIANS.