Rome, NY WWII Fallen

PFC. CARINO HARRY PINTI

U.S. Army #32857840

Company E, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division

Carino Harry Pinti was born January 28, 1910, in Rome, Oneida County, New York, the second of eight children born to Carlo (1875-1955) and Theresa Ferrare (1884-1963) Pinti. Carlo was born in Tocco, Cassaureia, Italy and immigrated to the United States on the Bremen, arriving in New York in June 1899. Carlo settled in Syracuse and married Theresa Ferrare in St. Peter’s Church, Syracuse, New York, on April 18, 1907. The Pintis moved to Rome, New York, in 1909. Carlo was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1917.

Harry had two sisters, Lena Rogers (1913-1979) and Caroline Stirpe Gymburch (1922-2008), and five brothers, Robert “Al” (1906-1966), James (1911-?), Quintus (1915-2012), Dante (1917-2005), and William (@ 1920-?).

In the 1910 U.S. Census, the Pintis lived at 106 Byrnes Avenue in Rome, New York, and Carlo was employed by Revere Copper and Brass as a laborer. In the 1920 U.S. Census, the Pinti family lived at 128 West North Street in Rome, and Carlo was employed as a carpenter. In the 1930 U.S. Census, the Pinti family lived at 221 John Street in Rome; Carlo was a laborer at Revere Copper and Brass, Robert worked at Rome Cable, and Harry and Jimmie were boxers. In the 1940 U.S. Census, the family was still living on John Street, Carlo was a carpenter and contractor, Harry and Quintus were laborers at Rome General Cable, Jimmie worked for Rome Manufacturing, and Dante was at a CCC camp. In the 1950 U.S. Census, the Pintis still lived on John Street in Rome. Carlo was retired, Jimmie was a furnace feeder at Revere Copper and Brass, Quintus was a machine operator at General Cable, and Dante operated a mailing machine at Rome Army Air Base.

Harry attended Rome, NY, schools. He and his brothers, Al and Jimmie, were charter members of the Rome Boys’ Post League. They were members of the tumbling team and participated in exhibitions throughout Central New York in the 1920’s. From 1926-1931, the three brothers also played basketball for the Boys’ Post League, with Harry serving as forward each year, and captain in 1930. In 1936, Harry was named coach of the Black Colts, a basketball team of students of the Rome Trade School.

While a member of the Boy’s Post League, Harry also became interested in boxing. By 1927, he was the champion of the featherweight division of the Adirondack Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). His brother, Jimmie, boxed in the flyweight division with Harry as his mentor. Harry and teammate, Johnny Mosca (middleweight champion), advanced in the trials to choose the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team for the 1928 Olympic Games to be held in Amsterdam. The national eliminations were held in Cleveland in February 1928, and then moved on to Boston and New York. Harry advanced as far as the semi-finals in Boston. Brothers Billy, Quintus, and Dante also boxed at some point.

The Albany Times-Union, Albany, NY, reported in August 1928 that Harry Pinti was an all-round athletic star and “has turned down several good offers for professional baseball.” Harry remained at amateur standing for boxing to get another chance at the U.S. championship, and “ranks among the best amateur boxers in the country at the present time.”

Harry became a professional boxer in November 1928 and boxed until at least 1938. He moved from featherweight to lightweight category. Harry had a notable boxing career. At various times, he was described as popular, cool, assured, the Syracuse knockout boy, a faithful trainee, aggressive, able to “take it,” clever, packing a real punch, possessing fine defensive tactics, a hard, sharp hitter with both hands, and “Rome’s gift to the professional pugilistic parade.”

On April 9, 1937, Harry and Jimmie Pinti both performed “fancy tumbling” at the YMCA Annual Athletic Exhibition in Rome, NY.

Harry registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, at DeWitt Clinton School in Rome, New York. He was 5’9” tall, weighed 150 pounds, and had black hair and brown eyes. He was living with his parents at 221 John Street in Rome, and working for General Cable Company. His father, Carlo Pinti, was the person “who will always know your address.”

Harry’s friends hosted a stag party for him on April 13, 1941, at Marty’s Coffee Shop in Rome. He was given a traveling bag. Harry married Ida Garafalo (Garofalo, Garafolo) on May 17, 1941, in Rome.

On April 13, 1942, Harry enlisted as a charter member of the New York National Guard, 6th Regiment, Company D. He was living at 321 E. Dominick Street, Rome, New York. Harry’s brother, Quintus “Quinnie” was a sergeant in the same unit.

In August 1942, Jimmie Pinti was in the U.S. Army Air Forces, and Dante was in a medical battalion.

On April 27, 1943, Harry was one of 58 young men sent to Utica, NY, from Draft Board 433 for physical examinations prior to entering military service. Harry separated from the New York Guard on May 7, 1943, and was inducted into the U.S. Army. He reported to basic training in Mississippi and advanced training at Ft. Meade, Maryland. He was then sent overseas to England.

November 30, 1943, PFC Pinti is assigned to HQ, 10th Replacement Depot, Hathington. His MOS (military occupation specialty) was 504 – ammunition handler or armor bearer.

December 1, 1943, PFC Pinti was one of 21 enlisted men transferred from duty to sick quarters (line of duty) at Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, as part of Casual Detached, 10th Replacement Depot.

December 3, 1943, PFC Pinti was one of 19 enlisted men transferred from sick in quarters to duty, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, as part of 10th Replacement Depot.

March 28, 1944, PFC Pinti was assigned to duty with HQ, 1st Infantry Division. He was later assigned to Company E, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.

In April 1944, The Daily Sentinel, Rome, New York, reported that four of the five Pinti brothers were in the military overseas. Sgt. Dante Pinti was in a medical detachment in Ireland. James, USAAF, and Quintus, US Army Infantry, were both “somewhere overseas.” PFC Harry Pinti was in England.

PFC Harry Pinti became the first casualty from Rome, New York, of the Normandy Invasion Ground Forces, when he succumbed to wounds on June 20, 1944, in Normandy, France. The medical diagnosis was “First Location: thorax; Second location: hand; caused by artillery shell or other blast, fragments, debris.” An exploratory laparotomy was performed but Harry did not survive.

On June 29, 1944, PFC Carino Harry Pinti was interred in St. Laurent Cemetery. St. Laurent Cemetery was established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944, as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. It later became the Normandy-American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Basse-Normandie, France, and contains the graves of 9,385 American military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. PFC Pinti is located in Plot I, Row 9, Grave 8.

July 23, 1944, PFC Carino Pinti, 1st Infantry Divison, 26th Infantry Regiment, Company E, was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy.

Harry’s wife, Ida, received a telegram from the War Department on July 24, 1944, informing her of his death due to wounds received in action in the Normandy Invasion.

July 24, 1944, Mr. and Mrs. Pinti said goodbye to their son, William, who was leaving for military service. Shortly after they were informed that Harry had died of wounds in France. The Utica induction team gave William a three-day extension to be at home with his family. He reported to Camp Upton at the end of that extension.

That evening, following the sounding of taps, Company D, 6th Regiment, New York Guard, stood in ranks in silent prayer for PFC Harry Pinti. Harry was a charter member of the company and first to die in service during WWII.

In August 1944, the Catholic chapel at Camp Smith, Peekskill, New York, was rededicated in memory of T/Cpl. Vincent Tagliaferri and PFC Carino Harry Pinti, both members of the New York Guard who had given their lives in WWII.

PFC Harry Pinti was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Rome Medal of Honor. He is among the 81 citizens of Rome, New York, who gave their lives in service in World War II.

In the September 20, 1945, edition of The Daily Sentinel, Rome, NY, Today’s Mail column, a letter from PFC Anthony Froio, Camp Pine Dale, California, was published. He suggested the East Rome playground be renamed in honor of PFC Harry Pinti. “Harry Pinti was one of the finest, clean cut athletes of Rome. All Rome should be proud of him.” In November 1946, the playground was named Harry Pinti Field in honor of PFC Harry Pinti, who died of wounds suffered in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The field remains Pinti Field to this day.

July 24, 1945, Daily Sentinel, Rome, New York, gave an update on the four Pinti brothers as they had a reunion with oldest brother, Robert. It was their first time together in five years.

PFC Quintus Pinti served with the 2nd Infantry Division at Omaha Beach during the invasion of France. He was wounded twice at St. Lo, France, and was hospitalized for several months in England. Quintus returned to the U.S. in December 1944, and was stationed at Rhoads General Hospital in Utica, New York.

Cpl. Dante Pinti entered the service in February 1941, and went overseas in November 1943. He was in Ireland and then participated in the invasion of France, the Normandy campaign, Brittany, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Rhine breakthrough.

PFC James Pinti was in the USAAF in Indiana.

PFC William Pinti entered the service on July 24, 1944, and arrived in Le Havre, France, in January 1945. He was in the Battle of the Bulge, and the campaigns in the Rhine River and central Germany.

PFC Harry Pinti is remembered on Page 110 of World War II Casualties of Oneida County New York. He is also remembered on Page 11692, US Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945, and at the American War Memorials Overseas website.

PFC Pinti is among those listed on GenealogyTrails.com, World War II, Army and Air Force, Honor List of Dead and Missing Personnel, Oneida County, New York. He is also remembered as a WWII Gold Star Veteran from New York at HonorStates.org.

Carlo Pinti, retired carpenter and cabinet maker, died December 27, 1955, at age 80. Mrs. Theresa Pinti died on October 11, 1963, at age 79. They are both buried in St. John’s Cemetery, Rome, New York.

On September 13, 1947, Ida Pinti married Michael Joseph, a veteran of World War II.

Harry’s brother, Robert, named one of his four sons Harry, after his brother.

End notes: This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project, a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3 web sites. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery. If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact hillerson@beyondbb.com.

Sources:

FindAGrave:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56648816/carino-h-pinti

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21292533/ida-pinti_joseph

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46174650/carlo_a-pinti

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46174657/theresa-pinti

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46174656/robert-pinti

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/171251670/quintus-j-pinti

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142580921/dante-pinti

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46174891/lena-rogers

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27008899/caroline-stirpe_gymburch

Fold3.com: