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Pfc John Pergolizzi

60th Engineers Combat Battalion - Company B

Pfc John Pergolizzi

John Pergolizzi, the son of John and Anna Pergolizzi, was born in Brooklyn, NY on December 22, 1912. He enlisted in the Army February 8, 1943 at New York City, NY and was assigned to the 60th Engineers Combat Battalion. He departed the U.S. on May 12, 1944 and landed in England two weeks later where the 60th Engineers were based at St. Tudy, Cornwall. On July 5 he embarked for Normandy, France landing on Omaha Beach July 7, 1944.

The night of October 10, 1944, the 60th Engineers Combat Battalion was laying down a mine field near Ajoncourt, about 18 miles northeast of Nancy, France. Trucks carrying the mines were parked along the river just south of town. At about 11 PM that night one of the trucks exploded, causing another truck and nearby stacks of mines and other ammunition to also explode. Pfc John Pergolizzi was one of 33 men who died in that explosion. He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.

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Coast Guard Seaman 1st Class Stephen Pergolizzi, their mother Anna and Pfc John Pergolizzi 

John Pergolizzi

John Pergolizzi

Armed Forces Service Certificate - February 15, 1943

       

State of NY Birth Record, December 22, 1912

Pfc John Pergolizzi

Pfc John Pergolizzi Temporary Grave Site, Andilly, France

Left to right: John Pergolizzi, unknown, Angelo Porcaro (John's brother-in-law)

       

Pfc John Pergolizzi

John Pergolizzi, Sr. at his son's grave

Pfc John Pergolizzi, far right (other man unknown)

Left to right: first 2 are unknown, Sally, Stephen and John Pergolizzi

       

Pfc John Pergolizzi 

John and his sister Barbara

Left to right: brothers Joe and John Pergolizzi

Pfc John Pergolizzi 

       

Pfc John Pergolizzi

Funeral Card 

John Pergolizzi and his mother Anna

Pfc John Pergolizzi

 
       

John Pergolizzi 

John Pergolizzi 

Pfc John Pergolizzi 

John Pergolizzi 

       

Pfc John Pergolizzi 

John Pergolizzi 

Pfc John Pergolizzi 

Pfc John Pergolizzi Temporary Grave Site, Andilly, France 

Pfc John Pergolizzi Grave Site       

Pfc John Pergolizzi Temporary Grave Site, Andilly, France 

John Pergolizzi 

Letter to father from Commanding Officer, 60th Engineers 

Left to right: John, Sr., John, Anna,  and Stephen Pergolizzi

   

Left to right: Stephen, Joe and John Pergolizzi (brothers)  

John Pergolizzi and his mother Anna

John Pergolizzi

Pfc John Pergolizzi

Pfc John Pergolizzi Temporary Grave Site, Andilly, France

 

Pfc John Pergolizzi Grave,  Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn NY

Pergolizzi Family Grave Site, Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn NY

 
       

John Pergolizzi 

John Pergolizzi 

John Pergolizzi 

John Pergolizzi 

       

John Pergolizzi 

Headstone Application 

Draft Registration Card, front

 

Draft Registration Card, back

 
       

Obituary, December 12, 1948 

Obituary

 

Pfc John Pergolizzi 

Obituary,  May 4, 1945

   

Gold Star Flag from his parent's home

Badge from reunion his brother Stephen attended

 

Top Row (left to right): Sally, Fred, Joe, Yolanda, Ellen - Bottom Row: John, Anna, John Sr, Barbara - Stephen is baby next to Barbara

Left - John Pergolizzi, name of soldier on right is unknown

Pergolizzi grave site

   

Thanks to Pam Thomsen, Pfc. John Pergolizzi's granddaughter, and John's niece Stephanie Hilton, daughter of his brother Stephen, for this information and these photographs. Please contact Pam Thomsen at phlk2211@yahoo.com if you have any information about her grandfather or the explosion at Ajoncourt, France where he was killed in action.

Read more about the 60th Engineers Ajoncourt mine explosion disaster.

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