Carmen Anthony Altieri was born on May 10, 1911 in Utica, NY to Samuel Altieri and Angeline (Mary) Vingola (not completely sure on this maiden name for his mother). Definitive records were hard to find on his parent's marriage date and place but we do know they were both from Italy. His dad worked in a local knitting mill and died sometime between 1920 and 1930. Carmen was the oldest of their five children which included a brother Samuel and three sisters Josephine, Vencenzin (Chancia) and Lucine (Rose). The 1920 US Census recorded that his parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1913 which seems in error given he was born in 1911 in the U.S. The 1930 US Census recorded his mom as "widowed" so his dad must have died sometime between 1920 and 1930. The family lived on Mary St. in Utica and he attended Brandegee School. He was employed for a number of years as a welder by the Powell Muffler Co. He also a boxed and was known in athletic circles as the "New York Pal."

He married Francea Mandia on October 1, 1931. Ten years later, at the age of 30 he registered for the draft in Utica, NY. At that time he was 5'-2" tall and weighed 135 pounds. He had brown eyes and brown hair. He lived on Jay St. and was unemployed. Carmen was drafted into the Army on May 22, 1942 through Utica, NY with service number 32369794. His draft records note he was married at the time, had completed just grammar school (8th grade) and was a welder. He was part of a group of 116 selectees from the Utica area that were given a send off from the Union Station in Utica. Their destination was "an unannounced Army receiving station." Newspaper clips noted he "volunteered" for the service but his service number suggests he was drafted. (service numbers starting with '3' indicated draftees). He did his basic training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, Fort Bragg, South Carolina, Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and Fort George G. Meade, Maryland before going overseas in June 1944. For George G. Meade was a "ground replacement" headquarters and he was likely sent through there as a "replacement." He wrote in letters home that he was in France, "driving a truck" for a "bakery detachment."

According to Hospital Admission Card File records, in April 1944 (either at Camp Shelby or Ft. Meade) and again in July 1944 (while overseas) he was admitted to the hospital having had an "allergic reaction to a vaccine or drug." It is unclear just what drug or vaccine he reacted to but in December 1944 he was again in the hospital, this time with a heart problem that he died from. A May 17, 1949 local newspaper ran a short classified about his funeral at St. Mary's of Mt. Carmel Church and of his internment in the Soldiers Plot Calvary Cemetery, Utica, NY. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

"Altieri Dies in France", The Utica Observer Dispatch, Utica, NY, December ?, 1944, pg. ? (date and page were illegible)

"Altieri Dies in France of Heart Ailment", Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, January 4, 1945, pg. 7.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200251539/carmen-altieri: accessed August 28, 2025), memorial page for Carmen Altieri (1911–1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 200251539, citing Calvary Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by PaPasgirl (contributor 48623246).

Fold3, US, World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/831/us-wwii-army-enlistment-records-1938-1946 : accessed Aug 28, 2025), database and images, https://www.fold3.com/publication/831/us-wwii-army-enlistment-records-1938-1946

Fold3, US, WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/1088/us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954 : accessed Aug 28, 2025), database and images, https://www.fold3.com/publication/1088/us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954

National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; Morning Reports accessed on line at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/85713825 on August 29, 2023, using search string "32369794."

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

Year: 1920; Census Place: Utica Ward 5, Oneida, New York; Roll: T625_1244; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 129

Year: 1930; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0101; FHL microfilm: 2341356

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02861; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 67-49

Supporting Documents