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Gennantonio, Dominic J, Pfc.
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Home Town Thomas
Date of Passing Feb 10, 2001
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PRIVATE FIRST CLASS DOMINIC J. GENNANTONIO WAS EMPLOYEED AS A TRACKMAN (RAILROAD?) BEFORE ENTERING THE SERVICE ON 11 MAY 1942. HE SERVED AS A HEAVY MACHINE GUNNER WITH BATTERY "B" 531ST FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION IN THE PACIFIC FROM 30 JULY 1942 TO 30 SEPTEMBER 1945. AFTER RETURNING TO THE STATES PFC GENNANTONIO WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON 6 OCTOBER 1945 AT CAMP ATTERBURY INDIANA.
Other Comments:
Dominic J. Gennantonio, 83, died Feb 10, 2001 at home in Las Vegas, NV, where he had been vacationing with his daughter for two and a half years.
He was born May 3, 1917, The son of the late Donato and Nancy Monda Gennantonio, in coketon, Wv. He was preceded in death by wife Louise V DePollo Gennantonio.
He is survived by his two Daughters and son in laws. Mrs. Nancy & William LeCain, of Beavercreek, OH and Mrs. Natalie and Jerry Johnson of Las Vegas, NV; three brothers and sister in laws, Richard "Riggie" and stella Gennantonio of Seminole, FL., John and Adelle Gennantonio of Loveland, OH and Donato "Danny" and Cindy Gennantonio of new Bern, NC.; two sisters Mrs Louise & Robert Harmen, Woodville, OH and Mrs Mary Buckley of Thomas and one sister in law Mrs. Elizabeth "Sob" Gennantonio in Thomas, WV. Three grandaughters Nanette and Michelle LeCaine of Beavercreek, OH and Brigette Johnson of Las Vegas, NV.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Joseph and Paul Gennantonio, one sister, Mrs. Carmella & Dominic Gatto and a grandson Brandon Johnson.
A member of the Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish in Thomas, an army veteran of World War II, a trackman for fourty years for the Western Maryland Chessie System Railroad. Since his retirement, He was a clerk at the Mt. Top Market until 1998. He was a past memeber of the American Legion, The Knights of Columbus and the Thomas Fire Department.
Visitations were at Palm Mortuary with rosary and Mass of Ressurrection at St. James the Apostle Catholic Church in Las Vegas, NV. His final rest will be at Mt Calvery Cemetary in Thomas, WV.
(Ryukyus Campaign 26 March to 2 July 1945) The invasion of the Ryukyus was made by troops of the U.S. Tenth Army, which had been activated on 20 June 1944 with Lt. Gen. Simon B. Buckner, Jr., as commanding general. The Ryukyus campaign began on 26 March 1945 with the capture of small islands near Okinawa, where forward naval bases were established. An amphibious assault on Okinawa took place on 1 April, and the fighting lasted until June. Here, for the first time, Americans were invading what the Japanese defenders considered their home soil, and the defense was fanatic in the extreme. American troops suffered heavy casualties, and the Navy, too, had heavy personnel losses as Japanese suicide flyers, the Kamikazes, sank some 25 American ships and damaged 165 others in a desperate attempt to save the Ryukyus. Among the nearly 35,000 American casualties were General Buckner, who was killed on 18 June. He was succeeded by Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger, who was in turn succeeded by General Joseph W. Stilwell, who arrived to assume command of the Tenth Army on 22 June 1945.
Capture of the Ryukyus gave Allied naval and air forces excellent bases within 700 miles of Japan proper. Throughout June and July, Japan was subjected to increasingly intensive air attack and even to naval bombardment.
