War Stories

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 …

Over the course of a 28-year career as an administrator for the Air Force, Ernest “Skip” Dalle Molle came to realize the key role that helping people played in so many of his job descriptions. One of five children, Ernest “Skip” Dalle Molle was born in Evergreen Park to Ernest and Mary (Bertoletti) Dalle Molle. He grew up in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago surrounded by his large, extended family: Some were down the block, his maternal grandparents were four blocks away and others lived within eight miles. Dalle Molle’s paternal grandparents emigrated from Lugo di Vincenza, and his maternal …

Rejected for medical reasons and later trained as a medical corpsman, Ralph Pasqurella had his hands full during the invasion of Normandy and throughout the European campaigns in World War II. Ralph “Hack” Pasqurella was born in Melrose Park in 1917 to Gaetano and Gabriella Chiero Pasqurella, who immigrated to the U.S. as teens. His father came from Melizzano in Campania and his mother from Trivigno in Basilicata. Pasqurella’s father died during the 1918 flu epidemic while his mother was pregnant with their second child. She eventually remarried and had six more children. Pasqurella’s maternal grandmother lived with the family …

Born in Italy, Daniel Donati first stormed the Boot then battled his way across Europe to help liberate the continent from Nazi oppression during World War II. My father, Daniel (Adelmo) Donati, departed Genoa, Italy, with my grandmother aboard the SS Caserta and arrived at Ellis Island on Dec. 5, 1914. My grandfather was already in the U.S., and he sent for his family once he was established in an area outside Monongahela, Pennsylvania. When my father reached his teens, he was sent to Chicago for employment, where he lived with his cousin’s family. Like many Italian immigrants, my father …

Mired for months in the battle to take the Italian town due south of Rome, Edward Malatesta fought his way through Italy and France before mortar fire took him out of the war. Edward Malatesta was born on Nov. 8, 1924, the youngest of five children and the only son of Alessandro and Gulia (Ragnetti) Malatesta. His parents immigrated to the United States from Senigallia, Italy, as a young married couple, first to Philadelphia and then to the Taylor Street Little Italy in Chicago. The family settled on the Northwest Side after Malatesta was born. He has fond memories of …