World War II Honoree

Vito P. Napolitano

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Binghamton, New York

Honored By

Andrew Lomonaco

Relationship

Nephew

INDUCTED OCTOBER 29, 1942 INTO 712TH MILITARY POLICE BATTALION AT FORT NIAGARA, NEW YORK. LATER MERGED WITH 759TH MILITARY POLICE 'LONE SENTINAL' BATTALION AT FORT ONTARIO, NEW YORK FOR BASIC TRAINING. IN APRIL 1943 HE MOVED TO FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY WHERE HE RECEIVED ADVANCED TRAINING AS A HEAVY TRUCK DRIVER. BY LATE AUGUST 1943, HE WAS OVERSEAS IN ORAN, ALGERIA, NORTH AFRICA. DUTIES INCLUDED TRAFFIC CONTROL, GUARDING SUPPLY DEPOTS AND PRISONERS OF WAR, GENERAL SECURITY AND SCOUTING PATROLS. IN DECEMBER 1943 HE SHIPPED TO NAPLES, ITALY AND MOVED NORTH IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL MARK CLARK'S 5TH ARMY THROUGH ROME TO SIENA. RETURNED TO NAPLES IN JULY 1944 TO PREPARE FOR THE ANZIO INVASION DURING WHICH HE PROVIDED BEACH TRAFFIC CONTROL IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL LUCIAN TRUSCOTT JR.'S 7TH ARMY. IN OCTOBER 1944 HE WENT NORTH TOWARD THE ARDENNES TO LINK WITH GENERAL BRADLEY'S 12TH ARMY AND WAS STATIONED NEAR BASTOGNE, GERMANY TO SUPPORT GENERAL PATTON. SPEND 29 MONTHS OVERSEAS BEFORE HIS HONORABLE DISCHARGE AT FORT NIAGARA IN OCTOBER 1945. SURVIVED 3 MAJOR CAMPAIGNS; ROME-ARNO, NORTH APENNINES AND PO VALLEY. HE WAS AWARDED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER MEDAL, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AND 3 BRONZE STAR MEDALS.