List of Italian American Medal of Honor recipients

The following is a list of Italian-American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who were awarded the American military's highest decoration — the Medal of Honor, sometimes referred to as the Congressional Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is bestowed "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in actual combat against an armed enemy force." The medal is awarded by the President of the United States on behalf of the Congress.

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government and is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself "…conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States…" Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented posthumously. [http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/pis/med_of_honor.html Defense link Medal of Honor history] ]

Civil War

;Luigi Palma di Cesnola:Rank and organization: Colonel, 4th New York Cavalry:Date and place of action: 17 June 1863, Battle of Aldie, Virginia:Entered service at: New York, New York:Date and place of birth: 29 June 1832, Rivarola, Piedmont, Italy

;Thomas W. Hyde:Rank and organization: Major, 7th Maine Infantry:Date and place of action: 17 September 1862, Antietam, Maryland:Entered service at: Bath, Maine:Date and place of birth: Italy

World War I

;Michael Valente:Rank and organization: Private, United States Army, Company D, 107th Infantry, 27th Division:Date and place of action: 29 September 1918, east of Ronssoy, France:Entered service at: Ogdensburg, New York:Date and place of birth: 5 February 1895, Cassino, Italy

World War II

;John Basilone:Rank and organization: Sergeant, United States Marine Corps, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division:Date and place of action: 24 and 25 October 1942, Lunga Area, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands:Entered service at: New Jersey:Date and place of birth: 4 November 1916, Buffalo, New York

;Vito R. Bertoldo:Rank and organization: Master Sergeant, United States Army, Company A, 242nd Infantry, 42nd Infantry Division:Date and place of action: 9 and 10 January 1945, Hatten, France:Entered service at: Decatur, Illinois:Date and place of birth: 1 December 1916, Decatur, Illinois

;Willibald C. Bianchi:Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, United States Army, 45th Infantry Regiment (PS), Philippine Scouts:Date and place of action: 3 February 1942, near Bagac, Bataan Province, Philippine Islands:Entered service at: New Ulm, Minnesota:Date and place of birth: New Ulm, Minnesota

;Anthony Casamento:Rank and organization: Corporal, United States Marine Corps, Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division:Date and place of action: 1 November 1942, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands:Entered service at: Brooklyn, New York:Date and place of birth: 16 November 1920, Brooklyn, New York

;Ralph Cheli:Rank and organization: Major, United States Army Air Corps:Date and place of action: 18 August 1943, near Wewak, New Guinea:Entered service at: Brooklyn, New York:Date and place of birth: San Francisco, California

;Joseph J. Cicchetti:Rank and organization: Private First Class, United States Army, Company A, 148th Infantry, 37th Infantry Division:Date and place of action: 9 February 1945, south Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands:Entered service at: Waynesburg, Ohio:Date and place of birth: Waynesburg, Ohio

;Mike Colalillo:Rank and organization: Private First Class, United States Army, Company C, 398th Infantry, 100th Infantry Division:Date and place of action: 7 April 1945, near Untergriesheim, Germany:Entered service at: Duluth, Minnesota:Date and place of birth: Hibbing, Minnesota

;Peter J. Dalessondro:Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, United States Army, Company E, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division:Date and place of action: 22 December 1944, near Kalterherberg, Germany:Entered service at: Watervliet, New York:Date and place of birth: 19 May 1918, Watervliet, New York

;Anthony P. Damato:Rank and organization: Corporal, United States Marine Corps:Date and place of action: 19 and 20 February 1944, Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands:Entered service at: Pennsylvania:Date and place of birth: 28 March 1922, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania

;Arthur F. DeFranzo:Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, United States Army, 1st Infantry Division:Date and place of action: 10 June 1944, near Vaubadon, France:Entered service at: Saugus, Massachusetts:Date and place of birth: Saugus, Massachusetts

;Gino J. Merli:Rank and organization: Private First Class, United States Army, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division:Date and place of action: 4 and 5 September 1944, near Sars la Bruyere, Belgium:Entered service at: Peckville, Pennsylvania:Date and place of birth: Scranton, Pennsylvania

;Frank J. Petrarca:Rank and organization: Private First Class, United States Army, Medical Detachment, 145th Infantry, 37th Infantry Division:Date and place of action: 27 July 1943, Horseshoe Hill, New Georgia, Solomon Islands:Entered service at: Cleveland, Ohio:Date and place of birth: Cleveland, Ohio

;Robert M. Viale:Second Lieutenant, United States Army, Company K, 148th Infantry, 37th Infantry Division:Date and place of action: 5 February 1945, Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands:Entered service at: Ukiah, California:Date and place of birth: Bayside, California

Korean War

;Reginald B. Desiderio:Rank and organization: Captain, United States Army, commanding officer, Company E, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division:Date and place of action: Near Ipsok, Korea, 27 November 1950:Entered service at: Gilroy, California:Date and place of birth: 12 September 1918, Clairton, Pennsylvania

;Joseph Vittori:Rank and organization: Corporal, United States Marine Corps Reserve, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced):Date and place of action: 15 and 16 September 1951, Hill 749, Korea:Entered service at: Beverly, Massachusetts:Date and place of birth: 1 August 1929, Beverly, Massachusetts

Vietnam War

;Lewis Albanese:Rank and organization: Private First Class, United States Army, Company B, 5th Battalion (Airmobile), 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division:Date and place of action: 1 December 1966, Republic of Vietnam:Entered service at: Seattle, Washington:Date and place of birth: 27 April 1946, Venice, Italy

;Vincent R. Capodanno:Rank and organization: Lieutenant, United States Navy, Chaplain Corps, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced), FMF:Date and place of action: 4 September 1967, Quang Tin Province, Republic of Vietnam:Entered service at: Staten Island, New York:Date and place of birth: 13 February 1929, Staten Island, New York

;Jon R. Cavaiani:Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, United States Army, Vietnam Training Advisory Group:Date and place of action: 4 and 5 June 1971, Republic of Vietnam:Entered service at: Fresno, California:Date and place of birth: 2 August 1943, Royston, England

;Frank R. Fratellenico:Rank and organization: Corporal, United States Army, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division:Date and place of action: 19 August 1970, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam:Entered service at: Albany, New York:Date and place of birth: 14 July 1951, Sharon, Connecticut

;Gary W. Martini:Rank and organization: Private First Class, United States Marine Corps, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division:Date and place of action: 21 April 1967, Binh Son, Republic of Vietnam:Entered service at: Portland, Oregon:Date and place of birth: 21 September 1948, Lexington, Virginia

;Louis R. Rocco:Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, United States Army, Advisory Team 162, Military Assistance Command:Date and place of action: 24 May 1970, northeast of Katum, Republic of Vietnam:Entered service at: Los Angeles, California:Date and place of birth: 19 November 1938, Albuquerque, New Mexico

;Humbert R. Versace:Rank and organization: Captain, United States Army, Detachment A-23, 5th Special Forces Group, Army Special Forces, Intelligence Advisor to Military Assistance Advisory Group, Ca Mau, Republic of Vietnam:Date and place of action: 29 October 1963 to 26 September 1965, Vietnam:Entered service at: Norfolk, Virginia:Date and place of birth: 2 July 1937, Honolulu, Hawaii

See also

* List of Medal of Honor recipients
* List of Italian Americans

References

*cite web
accessdate=2008-07-24
url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who.htm
title=Who's Who list of Marines
work=Who's Who in Marine Corps History
publisher=History Division, United States Marine Corps
*cite web
accessdate=2008-07-24
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/moh.html
title = U.S. Army Center of Military History Medal of Honor Citations Archive
work = Listing of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who received the Medal of Honor during World War II
publisher Army Medal of Honor website
date = July 16, 2007