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| Pvt. Castagnoli's 339th Infantry Regiment advances on Formia during the month he died, May 1944. http://user.pa.net/~cjheiser/ct9/339main.htm |
Albert F. Castagnoli could have been 100 years old today.
He was born on February 25, 1917 in Illinois. His mother was also born in Illinois. His father was born in Italy and worked as a coal miner. Albert had two younger brothers and two younger sisters. Albert completed one year of high school and was working as a machinist before the war.
He enlisted in the army on May 21, 1942 and became a private in Company F, 339th Infantry Regiment, 85th Infantry Division which had been activated six days prior. His unit first saw action in Italy in March 1944 on the Minturno-Castelforte front. With his background, it is likely that Pvt. Castagnoli would have been asked to communicate with the Italian civilians encountered by his company.
Facing the Gustav line, the 85th Division launched an attack on May 11, taking Solacciano, Castellonorato, and Formia. Pvt. Castagnoli died on May 12, 1944.
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| Map showing area where Pvt. Castagnoli was killed. http://www.custermen.com/History85.htm |
His remains were returned to be buried at Rock Island National Cemetery.
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