Bummara, Mario A, LTC

Lt. Col. Mario A. Bummara enlisted in the Army on 12 March 1941 in Jamaica, New York.  He served as an enlisted man from 12 March 1941 until 9 April 1943.  He received a commission as a 2nd Lt. 10 April 1943. He was a graduate of the Infantry School Basic Officer Course in 1944  He also served as an artillery officer in the New York National Guard following the War..

He was posthumously awarded  the New York State Certificate of Valor in April 2001.

On 24 December 1944,  he was a lieutenant aboard the SS Cheshire, crossing the English Channel to enter combat in the Battle of the Bulge.  The other troopship carrying men from his unit of the 66th Infantry Division in the convoy was the SS Leopoldville.  When it was approximately five miles from the coast of Cherbourg, the convoy was attacked and struck by a torpedo by a German submarine, the U-486 at about 1800s hours. The ship he finally sank by the stern at 20.40 hours. Over 763 soldiers died in the loss

Then, on 29 December 1944, Lt. Bummara's unit was assigned to contain a large pocket of German soldiers at St. Nazaire and Lorient, France from January 1945 until May 1945, as part of the 66th Infantry Divsion, 12th Army Group Coastal Sector.  This was an 112 mile front to contain the German troops.  They carried out daily reconnaissance patrols and countered enemy actions until the end of the War.  Then, they were assigned occupation duty in the Koblenz area of Germany. 

They returned to the States in October 1945.  He was released from active duty on 17 January 1946.  He remained active in the National Guard, and was a Captain by 13 June 1950, and an Armor unit commander with the Guard.



 

Notes/Links:

http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/66thinfantry/index.html  (detailed history of the 66th)

Official National Guard Register (Army),  U.S. Select Military Registers, 1951,  p. 136. Information up to 1950.  (Note:  The previous National Guard Register was published in 1943).

http://www.charlestonmercury.com/index.php/en/history/128-the-sinking-of-the-leopoldville-an-eyewitness-account

http://www.timesnewsweekly.com/sites/www.timesnewsweekly.com/files/archives/Archives2001/042601/NewFiles/HONOR.html  (award of the NY State Certificate of Valor)

http://donmooreswartales.com/2013/03/04/val-peterson/ (SS Cheshire narrative)  There is a good chance that he and the men aboard the Chesire knew of the fate of the Leopoldiville until long after the event of that night.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_L%C3%A9opoldville_%281929%29#Sinking

http://www.nbbd.com/godo/VeteransMemorial/leopoldville/index.html
http://uboat.net/history/leopoldville.htm

Jacquin Sanders, A Night Before Christmas, Buccaneer Books, New York, 1996.  (Account of the sinking of the Leopoldville.)