Orlando Francis Del Vecchio was born October 4, 1919, in Rome, Oneida County, New York, to Gennaro (1886-1954) and Christina (1890-1956) Del Vecchio.  Gennaro and Christina were both born in Cserta, Italy, and immigrated to the United States from Naples, Italy, in May 1903.  Gennaro became a naturalized citizen in December 1918, and was employed at Revere Copper and Brass in Rome, NY.  Christina was a housewife and helped rear their five children.  Orlando was the fourth of the five with siblings Charles (1911-1980), Concepta “Connie” Dandino (1912-1985), Nicholas (1915-1992), and Alice Michael ((1924-2015). 

Orlando attended Rome schools including Rome Free Academy for his high school years.  Orlando was active in Boy Scouts for many years, played on their baseball team, served as a patrol leader, assistant scoutmaster, leader of flag ceremonies, and was elevated to a Life Scout in 1936.  He was extremely active in high school activities and was an honor roll student and homeroom officer.   Orlando served as the head manager of the football team, manager of the freshman hockey team, and sports editor of the yearbook, De-O-Wain-Sta.  He was also in the Dante Club, Debate Club, French Club, Press Club, Roman Forum (president), National Honor Society, on the staff of Il Foro, Dramatics Club, Beta Hi-Y, and a member of the Advisory Board (supervises management of every student organization).  Orlando earned honors in Italian and won a watch in an annual contest sponsored by a local business.  He graduated in May 1938. 

In 1938, Orlando enrolled in Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, to pursue a baccalaureate degree in political science and history.  He was named sports editor of “Hamilton Life,” the student newspaper for his junior and senior years.  He was elected as manager for the varsity hockey team and granted a varsity “H” letter in April 1941.  He also earned a letter in track in his freshman year.  As a senior, Orlando was elected to the Intramural Council as a representative of the Squires Club (non-fraternity men).  Orlando was a member of the Newman Club, an organization of Catholic students of Hamilton College, for all four years.  Orlando was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree on May 25, 1942. 

Orlando Del Vecchio registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, in Rome, New York.  He was 5’8” tall, weighed 140 pounds, and had gray eyes and brown hair.  His address was his parents’ home at 103 McAvoy Street, Rome, New York.  His occupation was a student at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York. 

Orlando was drafted into the U.S. Army on July 30, 1942, in Utica, New York, shortly after graduating from Hamilton College.  He entered as a private and completed basic training at Camp Croft, South Carolina.  In November 1942, he was selected to attend Officers Candidate School as an infantry officer; he later transferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces.  In July 1943, after completion of advanced navigation school, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and awarded the silver wings of an aerial navigator at Selman Field, Louisiana.  He was assigned to the Ferrying Service of the Air Transport Command and based at Romulus Army Air Field, Romulus, Michigan.  He made at least six overseas transports to the Italian and North African fronts. 

On August 7, 1944, Lt. Del Vecchio was killed instantly in the crash of a twin-engine light bomber in a cornfield near Rome, New York, his hometown.  He had spent the previous day with his family at their home.  It was reported that he could have seen his parents’ home from the plane after it left Rome Army Airfield.  The pilot and only other occupant, Lt. William Cass, was from Syracuse, New York.  The plane was on a routine flight from its base at Romulus Army Air Field in Michigan.  The crash occurred on a farm four miles east of Rome on the Rome side of the Oriskany monument near Stanwix.  Eyewitnesses said the plane burst into flames upon impact.  A motorist ran to the crash scene but the flames were too intense for him to extricate the flier trapped inside.  The other had been thrown clear.  A telephone call to the Rome Army Airfield brought fire apparatus, ambulances, doctors, and Army personnel to the scene.  Army officials said no explanation could be given without further investigation. 

According to the Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research (AAIR) website, the plane (43-34933) is listed as KTOAEF (Killed in Take Off Accident Due To Engine Failure) and was destroyed on impact two miles SSE of Rome Army Airfield on August 7, 1944.

2Lt. Orlando F. Del Vecchio was buried Friday, August 11, 1944, in St. John’s Cemetery with full military honors.  A firing squad from the Rome Army Airfield gave a salute followed by “Taps.”  The Commander of the Henry P. Smith Post No. 24, The American Legion, of Rome, New York, asked all members to appear at the Legion on Thursday, August 10, to pay respects to Lt. Del Vecchio. 

The burial service was preceded by a prayer service at the Del Vecchio home and a solemn requiem high mass at St. John the Baptist Church.  Motorcycle police from Rome, NY and motorcycle-mounted military police from the Rome Army Airfield led the processional to the cemetery.  An open car from the Rome Depot carried many floral offerings.  Officers from the Rome Army Airfield served as pallbearers.  At the conclusion of the service, the officer in charge presented the large American flag draped over Orlando’s casket to his mother.

On September 26, 1944, the First Ward of Rome, New York, dedicated an American flag and pole, on which it will proudly wave, to the 1,100 to 1,200 residents who were serving in the armed services during World War II with special mention of the ten fallen residents of First Ward, including Orlando Del Vecchio. 

In December 1947, Thomas Rudd, President of Hamilton College, announced the college’s historic chapel would be remodeled as a memorial to the 50 Hamilton students who died in service in World War II.  Fifty of the new pews bear nameplates honoring each of these men, including Lt. Orlando Del Vecchio.  A memorial service was held on December 7, 1947, in the chapel and the four class presidents laid wreaths in memory of these 50 men.

In February 1948, the Rome Free Academy (RFA) Class of 1938 established the Orlando Del Vecchio Memorial Prize to be awarded annually to an RFA graduate.  According to the Committee, Orlando was recognized as an outstanding and respected classmate and was the only one to lose his life during World War II. 

2Lt. Orlando Del Vecchio was posthumously awarded the Rome Medal of Honor and his name is inscribed on the Navigator Memorial at Selman Field, Louisiana. 

The Del Vecchio family had several members who served in the Armed Forces.  Both of Orlando’s brothers and both brothers-in-law saw service in World War II.  PFC Nicholas Del Vecchio served in the US Army in Europe as a rifleman, and Sgt. Charles Del Vecchio served in the US Marines in the photo section.  Alice’s husband, Joseph Michael, was a BOSN2 in the US Navy, and Concepta’s husband, Michael Dandino, served as a pharmacist’s mate in the US Navy. 

Endnotes:  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:

Find A Grave:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21252306/orlando-delvecchio

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21252299/gennaro_delvecchio

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21252292/christina_delvecchio

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21252129/concepta_dandino

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152337989/alice_michael

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21252304/nicholas-f-delvecchio

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/204744796/charles-del_vecchio

Fold3:

https://www.fold3.com/record/86277968/orlando-f-del-vecchio-us-wwii-army-enlistment-records-1938-1946

Hamilton College:

https://www.hamilton.edu/about/history/half-century-annalists-letters/1942

https://litsdigital.hamilton.edu/search?search_api_fulltext=Orlando+Del+Vecchio&sort_bef_combine=label_2_ASC&op=Search

Camp Croft:  https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/Missions/Formerly-Used-Defense-Sites/Camp-Croft/

Selman Field:

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=134236

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=133989

Air Mobility Command Museum:  https://amcmuseum.org/history/air-transport-command-airlift-during-wwii/

Romulus Army Airfield:  https://metroairport.com/about-us/airport-history

Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research:  https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/listPages/airforce/asp/AF_Monthly_1944Aug_S.asp

Supporting Documents: