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Frank Michael Gervasi was one of millions of soldiers that stormed onto Normandy on D-Day on June 6, 1944, in World War II. He was born on June 15, 1919 in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania and was 23 when he was in the war. His parents were Michael and Luigina (Bennardo) Gervasi, and his wife was Anita (Capretto) Gervasi. He was a 1937 graduate of Vandergrift High School, and served on the Vandergrift Police force after coming home from war until 1959, when he got a new job as head guard of U.S. Steel Research Center in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, until his retirement in 1981. He was a member of St. Gertrude Roman Catholic Church, St. Gertrude Men's' Club, the Vandergrift Order of Sons of Italy in America, the V.F.W., the Knights of Columbus and the Veterans Breakfast Club.In the war, he was a member of the First Infantry Division, 16th Infantry Regiment, "A" Company, also known as "The Big Red One". He fought in North Africa (where he was taken prisoner by the Germans and later liberated by the British Army), the invasion of Sicily, and the D-Day landing in Normandy, France. He was also a squad leader, with 250 men serving him. Gervasi was also wounded was wounded weeks after D-Day, recovered, and rejoined fighting. In addition to Gervasi’s extensive military record, he was awarded the rank Master Sergeant and won awards such as the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, six Campaign Stars and Arrowhead, four Presidential citations, the Prisoner of War medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the European Theater of Operations ribbon. Frank was recently awarded The French Knight's Legion of Honor, France’s highest decoration, for helping to liberate Europe from the Nazis, and is featured in a TribLive article along with 3 other Pittsburgh natives who were also awarded. Frank Gervasi passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday, November 26, 2015, and is entombed in Greenwood Memorial Park Mausoleum in Lower Burrell. His full Obituary can be accessed by this link.
Frank Michael Gervasi was one of millions of soldiers that stormed onto Normandy on D-Day on June 6, 1944, in World War II. He was born on June 15, 1919 in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania and was 23 when he was in the war. His parents were Michael and Luigina (Bennardo) Gervasi, and his wife was Anita (Capretto) Gervasi. He was a 1937 graduate of Vandergrift High School, and served on the Vandergrift Police force after coming home from war until 1959, when he got a new job as head guard of U.S. Steel Research Center in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, until his retirement in 1981. He was a member of St. Gertrude Roman Catholic Church, St. Gertrude Men's' Club, the Vandergrift Order of Sons of Italy in America, the V.F.W., the Knights of Columbus and the Veterans Breakfast Club.In the war, he was a member of the First Infantry Division, 16th Infantry Regiment, "A" Company, also known as "The Big Red One". He fought in North Africa (where he was taken prisoner by the Germans and later liberated by the British Army), the invasion of Sicily, and the D-Day landing in Normandy, France. He was also a squad leader, with 250 men serving him. Gervasi was also wounded was wounded weeks after D-Day, recovered, and rejoined fighting. In addition to Gervasi’s extensive military record, he was awarded the rank Master Sergeant and won awards such as the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, six Campaign Stars and Arrowhead, four Presidential citations, the Prisoner of War medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the European Theater of Operations ribbon. Frank was recently awarded The French Knight's Legion of Honor, France’s highest decoration, for helping to liberate Europe from the Nazis, and is featured in a TribLive article along with 3 other Pittsburgh natives who were also awarded. Frank Gervasi passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday, November 26, 2015, and is entombed in Greenwood Memorial Park Mausoleum in Lower Burrell. His full Obituary can be accessed by this link.
Links: Veteran Voices of Pittsburgh Oral History Project
Links: Veteran Voices of Pittsburgh Oral History Project
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