World War II Honoree

Tony Cassavechia

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New Haven, Connecticut

Honored By

Son

SERVED WITH 1259TH ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION, FORMED AT CAMP PICKETT BY ORDER OF XIII CORPS. THEN SERVED AT NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS BASE AT FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA AS ONLY U.S. ARMY UNIT STATIONED THERE. UNIT SERVED AS TEST SUBJECTS FOR AMERICAN AND BRITISH SCIENTISTS DOING HUMAN FACTORS PERFORMANCE STUDIES ON MECHANICAL SKILLS OF MEN SUBMERGED IN EIGHT FEET OF WATER. SERVED AT CAMP LUCKY STRIKE AND MARSEILLES IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, ATTACHED TO XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS, 'THE FLYING SKY DRAGONS'. HIS UNIT HAD ORDERS FOR OPERATION DOWNFALL, THE INVASION OF MAINLAND JAPAN WHEN BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA ENDED THE WAR.