August A. Pugliese served as a captain and medical officer in the United States Army Air Force during WWII.

He was born August 12, 1908 to Carmelia and Peter Pugliese, both immigrated from Italy.  It is unclear on whether August was born in Italy or Pennsylvania, as a 1920 Vandergrift Census marks his birthplace as Pennsylvania while the 1940 Census has it as Italy.  He was raised in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania.  Due to his career in later years, it can be speculated that he went to study medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, possibly at the Washington University School of Medicine (est. 1891) or Saint Louis University (est. 1818), as the 1940 census card marks the area as a place of residency. 

Sometime during his youth, Pugliese  married Marie T. of Pennsylvania, six years his junior.  From St. Louis, they moved back to Pennsylvania and settled down in Leechburg, where they had their first child, Alexandera Pugliese, around the year 1940.

When America entered the war, 34-year-old August A. Pugliese enlisted for the U.S. Army Air Force.  During his service he was given the title of "Captain".  In the military medical field, Captains usually have limited command and administrative authority, and this may have been the case with Pugliese.  However, being a part of the medical field was a crucial factor in the conflict.  Mild and severe medical issues arose that the medical support had to attend to, including anoxia, aero-otitis, cold injuries, stress, disposition, and, of course, physical injuries and wounds.  The medical staff worked extensively to make sure the soldiers were well taken care of.

After the war, Pugliese became a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), established in 1947.  He continued his career as a family physician for a number of years.

The Pugliese family eventually settled back down into their hometown of Vandergrift.  August Pugliese passed away on November 16, 2000.  He was 92 years old.  His wife survived him 8 years up until her death in 2008.  They are buried together in the Saint Gertrude Memorial Cemetery in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania.