Dominic T. Biello, the story of the brave Molise boy fallen in Belgium

by
Geremia Mancini, MoliseNews24.it published 4 May 2017

TERMOLI. Still a reminder of an illustrious character from the Molisani births thanks to the cultural association "Ambasciatori della Fame" and to Jeremiah Mancini, Honorary President.

Dominic T. Biello: brave Molise boy dropped in Belgium during World War II. The mother, born in Filignano, who is now in the province of Isernia but at the time was province of Campobasso, on April 12, 1883, was identified (he had all the many children involved in the world conflict) as one of the "mothers symbol Of the sacrifice of war.

When Maria Anna Manzella left, together with her sister Jacinta, Filignano to run the "American dream" certainly did not imagine becoming, later years, one of the symbols of the "mothers symbol of the sacrifice of war."

Maria Anna was born in Filignano on April 12, 1883 by Giacomo and Antonia Franchitti. In 1901 he embarked, together with his sister Jacinta, who was born on October 1, 1881, on the "Gascogne" destination "Ellis Island". It's hard to trace a lot of data on her. Certainly married the Michele Biello (born in Monteroduni, CampoBasso, Italy) from which he had many children. At the outbreak of the Second World War, the Biello family had to offer an incredibly and painful contribution: all the children of "mum" Maria Anna (in the United States sometimes became Marion or Mariana or Marianne) were called to serve the army of United States. Filignano's brave mom saw his boys go one by one. Certainly he wept and prayed for them. Then the war ended. Maria Anna saw them coming back. All less one. Dominic T. was dead, serving the US military, at Rahier near Liege in Belgium. The boy was born in 1920 in Pennsylvania. On February 18, 1942, he joined "Fot George G. Meade" in Maryland for a hard training course. At the outbreak of the Second World War he was sent to Europe and framed in 2nd Battalion Company D, 504th Para Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He participated in the "Disembark in Sicily" and in those of Salerno and Anzio. Later he was also involved in the "Market Garden" Operations.

Then, on December 26, 1944, during the Arsenal offensive at Rahier, in a risky operation, he fell hit by an enemy sniper. The news was given by his Sergeant Harold N. Dunnegan and in the minutes written on 2 January 1945, it was stated that the body of poor Dominic T. had remained in the occupied area by the enemy. In a subsequent report we read "We believe we have found the remains of Dominic T. Biello. But definitive identification can not be done. Ask for comparison with fingerprints. " It was still some time before it came to definitive identification. The brave Molisano boy received the following awards: "Bronze Star"; "Purple Heart"; "Combat Infantryman Badge"; "American Campaign Medal" and "World War II Victory Medal". The body of Dominic T. Biello rests in the American military cemetery "Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery" in Belgium.

( The above story was translated from Italian using Google Translate, The original article in Italian can be found at MoliseNews24.it.
Submitted by Pvt Dominic T Biello's nephew and namesake - Dominic T Biello. )

PRESS RELEASE | July 16, 2018

Funeral Announcement For
Soldier Accounted For
From World War II (Rosenkrantz, D.)

WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, accounted-for from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

U.S.Army Staff Sgt. David Rosenkrantz, 28,(pictured left) of Los Angeles,California, accounted for on March 7, will be buried in June 20 in Riverside, California. In September 1944, Rosenkrantz was a member of Company H, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, participating in Operation Market Garden, a ploy by Allied planners to break German defensive lines on the western front by capturing a highway route through the Netherlands. On Sept. 28, 1944, Rosenkrantz’ platoon occupied Heuvelhof, a farm, located south of the town of Groesbeek. German tanks and infantry launched a major attack that morning. The isolated paratroopers hid among sparse trees and buildings. As Rosenkrantz rose from his position, enemy gunfire erupted and Rosenkrantz was killed. Due to enemy fire and the proximity to enemy troops, Rosenkrantz’ remains could not be recovered.

Between 1945 and 1952, Canadian, Dutch and American Graves Registration teams were active in the area where Rosenkrantz died. The Dutch team recovered identification tags for Rosenkrantz, along with fragmentary remains. An American team, acting on the information provided by the Dutch, followed up and found additional fragmentary remains, but the combined remains discovered were too sparse to be identified. Unbeknownst to those teams, a Canadian team working in the area prior to their arrival had already collected the remains of service members killed in this area. As a result of all of these activities, several sets of unidentifiable remains recovered from the battlefields around Groesbeek were buried as unknowns in American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) cemeteries in Europe.

After thorough research and historical analysis by DPAA. Aided by Dutch researcher Mr. Ben Overhand and 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment historian Mr. Frank Van Lunteren, one set of interred remains, X-1234 Margraten, was circumstantially associated to the location of where Rosenkrantz was killed.

The remains, which were initially recovered by the 2nd Canadian Graves Registration Unit, were buried at the Canadian Military Cemetery on June 22, 1945, and were listed as an American Soldier.

On June 14, 2017, DPAA disinterred X-1234 from the Netherlands American Cemetery.

To identify Rosenkrantz’ remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial (mtDNA) DNA analysis, which matched his family, dental and anthropological analysis, which matched his records; and circumstantial evidence.

DPAA is grateful to Mr. Overhand, Mr. Van Lunteren, the Royal Netherlands Army’s Recovery and Identification Unit and the American Battle Monuments Commission for their partnership in this recovery.

Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,906 service members (approximately 26,000 are assessed as possibly-recoverable) still unaccounted for from World War II. Rosenkrantz’ name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site, along with the other MIAs from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

For family information, contact the Army Service Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420.

A P.O.W. Remembers

by
Pvt Archibald J. Chaska, 82nd Airborne Division, 504th PIR Company A

We went overseas about January 23rd, 1945 and landed at LeHavre, France about February 1st and went directly to the front lines to relieve around the "Bulge" area. We made no combat jumps overseas and I was in the hospital for hemorrhoids at that time. I think the hospital was the 42nd General at Suisonne. My feet were starting to give me trouble and I reported in to this hospital for some treatment about a week after hitting the front lines. I mentioned my hemorrhoids at the same time and the doctor told me to forget my feet. He put me to bed for the hemorrhoids and I was in the hospital for about two weeks. At that time they even tried to give me a Purple Heart for the hemorrhoids. It was so silly that I refused.

I left the hospital to rejoin my outfit and we crossed the Rhine. Shortly thereafter, in April, 1945, I was taken prisoner for nine days and we marched seven of these days. Along with some of the others, my feet got so sore that I could not march as fast as the rest. The Germans split us into two groups. Those of us with sore feet were picked up by a German truck and rode about five miles at a slow rate before our planes came over and set it afire by strafing. Everytime any of our planes came in sight, we were forced to jump out of the truck and take cover in nearby fields. The time when the plane got our truck, my feet were so sore that I couldn't even leap the ditch to get into the field but stumbled into the middle of the ditch to take cover there.

With our truck gone, we had to start walking again. We walked until the ninth day when we were liberated by some unknown outfit. At that time my feet were red, swollen and so blistered that the skin just rubbed off. We were given first aid for our feet and made preparations to be sent to England. However, one of the officers had to get some clean clothes before he left and he told some higher officer in a nearby replacement area about the trip. They were short of men and before we knew it all the enlisted men were assigned back to combat. The officers told us that we were going to occupy a nearby town so we loaded our musette bags with all our possessions. As I was the assistant machine gunner, I alternated carrying the barrel and tripod of the light 30 caliber. Besides this I carried my M-1 rifle, 3 bandoliers and ammunition belt. It turned out that we marched 3 straight days instead of just a couple of miles. Toward the end of the march, my feet felt as if I were pounding along on the stubs of my legs. I kept dropping behind the rest but would walk while they were resting and thus managed to keep fairly close to them.

We ended up in a town that I think was Dormeits, immediately across the river from the Russians. We were here when the war ended in May. A little while later my feet bothered me so much that I was taken by ambulance to an unknown hospital in Reims, France. I was here just long enough to get first aid as they were very busy. They gave me some combination arch supports and sent me back to my outfit. The arch supports weren't much good but I didn't see much sense in going back as we were soon to leave for the States. All of us P.O.W.'s left for the States in August. I arrived in Minneapolis about the middle of September and didn't return to Texas to be discharged until about February 1st. I relaxed and rested my feet during this time so they didn't hurt too much.

( The above story was an excerpt from Pvt Chaska's compensation claim
and submitted by his granddaughter Tia Wilke. )

Eddie Livingston - D-Day Pathfinder - POW

It is my sad duty to advise you of the passing of Pvt. Eddie H. Livingston I Co/504.

Eddie came to the 82nd by way of the AAF having served at Chanute Field in the parachute test facilities there. He told me that he was "the original test dummy". Anything they thought they could strap on to a man and deliver by parachute they strapped on him first. He had over 178 jumps not counting qualifying, training and combat jumps (3). His combat awards included an un-presented DSC, one Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and seven Purple Hearts.

(The above photo is of Eddie H. Livingston from the Pathfinder photo of Normandy stick #16, June 5, 1944.)

He also told me that in the big "Invasion Lottery" held by the 504 on the return trip to England from Italy, he spent three bucks and picked June 5, 6 and 7.

Eddie was a member of the 504 volunteer group which jumped in Normandy. He went in with the team of 2/508 on DZ N near Picauville, France. Eddie was captured on June 9, and spent the rest of the war in POW camps as a slave laborer--in the coal mines.

Eddie's Form DA 1577 reflects that he was awarded the DSC for the action in which he was captured. It was never presented. Research on my part through several archives has failed to locate any reference as to the citation.

I had the distinct honor to meet Eddie in November of 2000. He was a "Devil" through and through. Immensely proud of his service with the 504.

Word of Eddie's passing was received from his niece Pam Baker, with whom he had been living for the past three years.

David R Berry
Dayton, OH