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| Staff Sergeant Ernest Donato served with the 88th Infantry Division at the Battle of Monte Cassino. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34645461/ernest-j-donato https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-Cassino/USA-MTO-Cassino-5.html |
Ernest J. Donato never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on July 14, 1919 in Italy. His parents Candido and Eliza were also both born in Italy. Candido was a captain in the Italian army during World War I. He came to America in 1927 and the rest of the family joined him two years later. Candido worked as a railroad laborer and later as a construction laborer. Ernest had two older sisters, one older brother, and one younger brother. By 1940 Ernest had completed eight years of schooling. He was still living at home and worked as a railroad laborer. He married Angeline Forte. They had one son.
He volunteered for the Indiana National Guard. On December 27, 1940, his National Guard unit was called up to be part of the US Army's 38th Infantry Division. The 38th ID would see action in the Pacific. At some point, Ernest was transferred to another unit that saw action in both North Africa and Sicily. With his combat experience, he was transferred to the 88th Infantry Division where he rose to the rank of staff sergeant in Company A, 1st Battalion, 350th Infantry Regiment.
The 88th ID first saw action in January 1944 when it was brought to the front in the battle for Monte Cassino. The division was fulling engaged in the battle on March 5, 1944. On May 11, the 350th IR attacked Mount Diamano and Hill 316. Mount Diamano fell within an hour and Hill 316 two days later. Sergeant Donato was wounded during this attack and died of his wounds on May 13, 1944. He was initially buried in Corona, Italy, a mere five miles from his father's home village.
His grave is at Mount Hogan Cemetery in Logansport, Indiana. His widow remarried and died in 1988.
Last year on this date I profiled Silver Star hero Eugene McGee, 7th Infantry Division. You can read about Eugene here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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