John Alexander Ciccone was born April 25, 1925 in Utica, NY to Alexander Ciccone (1898-1974) and Josephine Ioia (1902-1953). His parents were married in 1922 in Utica, NY. His dad came to the U.S. in 1908 and was a tool maker. His mom was originally from New York City. John was the third of their six children which included Gloria (1923-2016), Louis (1924-1992), Eleanor (1926-1945), Ferdinanda "Ferdy" (1927-2018) and Teresa (1929-2017). The 1930 US Census recorded the family living on Bleecker Street, Utica, NY. They later moved to Conkling Ave, Utica, NY. The 1940 US Census recorded John having completed a year of high school so his graduating class would have been 1943. I could not find a record of whether he graduated high school or not. His mom was also working in 1940 as a "mill hand" in a local knitting mill.

John enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in July 1943 and did his training at Parris Island, SC. He was given a furlough after training and by October 1943 was stationed at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California. In July 1944, Muster Rolls show him overseas in the south Pacific (FPO San Francisco). His service number was 526825.

John was a Private First Class with the 25th Marines when, on July 24, 1944 , they landed on Tinian's northern beaches. For the next 8 days they pushed the enemy south eventually taking the island on August 2, 1944. It is during the last days of this fighting, on the night and early morning of July 31–August 1, 1944, Pfc. John A. Ciccone is killed in action. He was with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, near the southern end of Tinian.

His remains are returned home in 1948 aboard the USS Dalton Victory and he is buried in the Calvary Cemetery, Utica, NY in section 12.

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

Ancesty.com, U.S., Marine Corps Muster Rolls, 1798-1958.

"Bodies of Seven War Dead Returned", Daily Sentinel, Rome, NY, December 6, 1948, pg. 3.

Dad's FAG - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/237603546/alexander-ciccone: accessed 27 Sep 2026), memorial page for Alexander Ciccone (8 Jul 1898–10 Dec 1974), Find a Grave Memorial ID 237603546, citing Calvary Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by PaPasgirl (contributor 48623246).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200535309/john_alexander-ciccone: accessed 27 Sep 2026), memorial page for PFC John Alexander Ciccone (25 Apr 1925–1 Aug 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 200535309, citing Calvary Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by PaPasgirl (contributor 48623246).

John C. Chapin, The 4th Marine Division in World War II (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1948), 25.

Mom's FAG - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/254224288/josephine-ciccone: accessed 27 Sep 2026), memorial page for Josephine Ioia Ciccone (17 Jul 1902–11 Dec 1953), Find a Grave Memorial ID 254224288, citing Calvary Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by PaPasgirl (contributor 48623246).

Year: 1930; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 0109; FHL microfilm: 2341356

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02861; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 67-27

Supporting Documents