War Stories

A team-sport player from grade school through college, he felt drawn to the military because of the similar opportunity it provided to be a part of something bigger than oneself. The middle of five children, Mark Evangelista was born in Wheaton, Illinois, to Mark and Suzanne Logan Evangelista. His great-grandparents emigrated from the Abruzzo region. Evangelista grew up close to his large extended family. “We were always by family,” he says. “Sundays were either at our house, Grandma’s or my aunt’s house.” His aunt and grandmother wrote down their recipes and their descendants had the good sense to preserve them. …

As Chief of Medical Logistics for the Army’s 92nd Evacuation Hospital, Greg Padovani was prepared at a moment’s notice to deploy on behalf of troops on the battlefield and allied nations in crisis. The eldest of four boys, Greg Padovani was born in Chicago to Gregory and Rose (Bianco) Padovani. The family moved from their attic apartment on Leavitt Street to a house in Mount Prospect shortly after Padovani’s birth. His father’s family emigrated from Padua, Italy and his mother’s family came from Naples and Palermo. Every Sunday, family gathered at his paternal grandparents’ home for dinner. “Grandma loved to …

During a stellar 38-year military career, Eric Marella served in the Marine and Army Reserves, as an enlisted man and officer, in a dozen countries during times of peace and war. The youngest of four sons, Eric Marella was born in Melrose Park to Dominic and GraceAnn (Russo) Marella. He grew up surrounded by family on both sides. His father’s parents emigrated from Marche and Tuscany, and his mother’s family from Basilicata. The family sat down to Sunday dinners of pasta with neck bones and sausage, never knowing who might stop in. “It’s always great when you hear a knock …

Assigned to a motor transport unit in Vietnam, Michael Pawelek drove a variety of vehicles while tackling other duties such as working the switchboard, manning bunkers on night duty and setting up ambush sites. Michael Pawelek was born in Chicago to Edward and Marie Sartor Pawelek. The family lived in an apartment behind Edward’s barbershop on the South Side until moving to Park Ridge when Pawelek was 5 years old. His maternal grandparents emigrated from a town near Venice, Italy, settling in Eveleth, Minnesota, and his paternal grandparents from the area around Warsaw, Poland, settling in Summit, Illinois. “In the …

Opting to go to Vietnam as an enlisted man rather than an officer, Allan Zitella often chose the thornier path, emerging relatively unscathed despite the greatly increased risk. The youngest of three children, Allan Zitella was born in Chicago to Joseph and Christina (Zipparo) Barrile. His mother died when Zitella was 3 years old and he and his siblings, Richard and JoAnn, were eventually adopted by their maternal great-aunt and -uncle, Anna and James Zitella. Zitella grew up in the neighborhood around Harlem and North avenues, one block from his maternal grandmother. His adoptive father emigrated from Riano, Italy, and …

A radioman on a Landing Ship Tank during World War II, Samuel Cascio and his crew delivered weapons, troops and other cargo throughout the Pacific. The only son among four children, Dr. Samuel Cascio was born in Chicago on Aug. 27, 1924, to Joseph and Josephine (Guercio) Cascio. His father, a barber, was born in Baltimore, and his mother emigrated from Cefalù, Sicily, with her family. Cascio grew up in the Portage Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side of Chicago with his maternal grandmother, aunt, uncle and cousins living two blocks away. He often brought his grandmother home for visits. …

Airborne-qualified as a paratrooper, Joseph Insolia served stateside during the Vietnam War as a supply clerk and company armorer while doing haircuts on the side. One of six children, Joseph Insolia was born in Solarino, Sicily, to Paul and Nina (Teodoro) Insolia. He grew up in the small town with his maternal grandparents living in the same house and aunts, uncles and cousins close by. Insolia’s father was the local barber. Once a week, he brought a meat bone home and his mother made a batch of sauce on the wood-burning stove. “My favorite food in those days was pasta …

A singer and pianist, Marie Sartor Pawelek used her talents to heal the wounded psyches of soldiers on the mend at Walter Reed General Hospital during World War II. Marie Sartor Pawelek was born 100 years ago in Eveleth, Minnesota, the only child of Luigi and Eva (Pivetta) Sartor. Her parents emigrated from a small town near Venice, Italy. With all of their relatives back home in Italy, Pawelek’s parents socialized with their Italian neighbors. Luigi joined the Order Sons of Italy in America and Eva was active in the Sacred Heart Society of their church. Their parish priest built …

What started out as a brief stint in Vietnam for this highly decorated Army veteran blossomed into an illustrious 44-year career that encompassed a variety of roles in Military Intelligence and Civil Affairs. The younger of two sons, Darryl Chiostri was born at Cabrini Hospital to Louis and Mary (Doro) Chiostri, who were living at the time in an Italian neighborhood at 24th Street and Western Avenue. The family moved to Berwyn soon after, and then to North Riverside when Chiostri was 7. Extended family lived close. “When we got together for holidays, there were a lot of people,” Chiostri …

Serving in the Air National Guard while working for Southwest Airlines, Salvatore Palazzolo went from ongoing training and playing video war games to the realities of combat in the wake of 9/11. The eldest of four children, Salvatore Palazzolo was born in Chicago to Paolo and Giuseppa (Leone) Palazzolo. Salvatore’s parents emigrated from Cinisi, a small town in Sicily, to Elmwood Park in 1976. They later moved to River Grove, where Palazzolo grew up. Most of his father’s family lived in the surrounding area. “We were all close,” says Palazzolo. The family ate Sunday dinner together at home or at …