War Stories

A tough kid from the Taylor Street neighborhood, Louis Grippo ended up sparring under the tutelage of a world champion while training at Ft. Riley during World War II. This is a story about Pfc. Louis Grippo and his travels during World War II. But a little background first. I grew up in my father’s family building on West Taylor Street in one of the Italian enclaves of Chicago. My mom’s family lived on South May Street, two blocks away. In my early years, we went over there almost every day. When I was in grammar school, I was there …

As a member of the National Guard working on a Counterdrug task force, Eric Pulia uses his computer skills to help law enforcement agencies track firearms purchased by non-felons on behalf of drug traffickers. Eric Pulia is the youngest of three sons born in Hinsdale, Illinois, to James and Karen (Murrin) Pulia. He grew up in Westchester with his uncle and family nearby and his paternal grandparents living down the block. Pulia’s great-grandparents emigrated from the Sicily and Naples regions of Italy. Pulia formed a close bond with his grandparents while staying with them after school. He remembers the newspaper …

One of the select few to qualify for and successfully complete Navy SEAL training, Anthony Lanzillotti embarked on an illustrious career that spanned 37 years and included five deployments, tours of duty in 10 countries and an assignment at the Pentagon. The older of two children, Anthony Lanzillotti was born in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago to Carmen and Ann (Corbin) Lanzillotti. The family moved from the North Side to Deerfield, where Lanzillotti grew up. His great-grandparents emigrated from the Calabria and Abruzzo regions of Italy. Lanzillotti’s father, proprietor of Carmen’s Restaurant in Edgewater, worked six days a week. Sunday …

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 …