Americo Victor Chiocchio
PFC in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co D
ASN#13013729
Born 1920 in Italy, Died 1987
Other residence(s): Monessen, PA; New Kensington, PA
United States Army, did not accompany the unit to Europe
Occupation before the war: office machine operators
Americo Chioccio was born on October 23, 1920 in Cocullo, Italy, a tiny village in the Abruzzo region. His father emigrated to the US in 1929 leaving his wife and two children behind. They appeared to have followed him in 1930-31.
The 1940 census shows the family (augmented in 1932 by US-born twins) living in Monessen, PA (and having lived there in 1935 as well). At the time both Americo and his father were working in a steel mill in Monessen, part of the Pittsburgh metro area. This form says he had one year of high school; a later form claims three.
Americo, undrafted, enlisted in the Army on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. He served until October 20, 1945.
A 1943 newspaper article lists him with the rank of Staff SGT and stationed at Camp Butner in North Carolina as part of an engineering company. He was overseas during the period from January 7, 1944 to July 9, 1944.
He filled out a draft card on November 2, 1945, just two weeks after his discharge. He re-enlisted on June 24, 1946 for a three-year term as an MP in the "Hawaiian Department" with a rank of Private; at the time his civilian occupation was listed as office machine operator. But somewhere along the line he ended up as part of the US Occupation forces in Trieste known as TRUST (Trieste US Troops) which was established in 1947, and in place until 1954. His Italian language skills must have contributed to this placement.
NOTE: I calculated the TRUST piece from his 1950 APO address.
By 1950 he was married to Emilia Sossi, a woman born in Trieste (so they probably met after his posting there) and still with TRUST, with the rank of SGT 1st Class. Since she had the same APO address, she must have remained overseas with him.
His youngest brother, Geno, was a Korean War veteran.
He also re-enlisted from September 18, 1962 to June 3, 1965, so it's likely he remained in the Army throughout the 1950s.
The Chiocchios had one daughter, Teresa. By 1981 they were living in New Kensington, PA which is where Americo was living at the time of his death on April 25, 1987.
Sources:
1940 Census
1943 article in Monessen Daily Independent
1945 Draft Card
1946 National Archives Database (re-enlistment)
1950 Pennsylvania Veterans Compensation Form
1981 City Directory
1987 VA Death File
1997 wife obituary (shows daughter's name)
Wikipedia entry on "TRUST"