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Victor Sorrentino

PFC in 406th Engineer Combat Co

Military occupational specialty: 345 (truck driver, light)

ASN#32863555

Born 1921 in NY, Died 2016

Artist

County of residence at enlistment: Kings County, NY
Other residence(s): Brooklyn, NY
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: decorators and window dressers
Source: Special Order 19, 23d HQ, Camp Forrest, 7 April 1944; Bernie Mason Company A, B Roster; photo from Ancestry®; militaryyearbookproject.org/references/old-mos-codes/wwii-era/army...

Victor Sorrentino was born on July 7, 1921 in New York City, the fourth of seven children born to a flower shop salesman. His parents and older brother (who also worked in the flower shop) had all been born in Italy, emigrating to Brooklyn as a family in 1904.

By 1940, Victor's father was no longer able to work; both his mother and sister worked making flowers—his mother at home and his sister in a factory. At some point his sister started her own flower shop, Sorrentino Florist, and Victor, who had left high school after two years, was working there when he registered for the draft on February 15, 1942. He enlisted on March 15, 1943; his occupation is listed in the category of "decorators and window dressers," probably as part of his work at the florist.

Victor served as a truck driver in the 406th Engineer Combat Company, and went overseas with the unit. After the war was over, he returned to New York and married Beatrice "Vera" Romano on July 18, 1945. They would go on to have two children: Nicola (Nicky) and Rose.

The family continued in the flower business—in 1950 Victor's mother; three of his siblings and a nephew; and Victor, Vera, and baby Nicky all shared an apartment above the shop in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. His brother and sister worked in the shop; he continued to drive a truck, although he may also have worked in the shop. (A 1950 family photograph shows him posed in front of the shop window.)

Sadly, Vera died in 1955 leaving Victor a widower with two young children.

Little else is known of his life and work.

He died on March 11, 2016 in Richmond VA and is buried at St. John Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens, NY.

Photos

In family tree in ancestry

ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/394... external link

Sources:

1925 NY state census (he is mistakenly listed as Victoria)

ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/24... external link

1930 census

ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/40... external link

1940 census

ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/27... external link

1942 draft card

ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/19... external link

1943 enlistment record

search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indi... external link

1945 marriage record

ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/43... external link

1950 census

ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/29... external link

1993-2002 US phone and address directories (Brooklyn NY)

ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/39... external link

2016 Find a Grave record

findagrave.com/memorial/170104307/victor... external link

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