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South Carolina On Maneuvers, 1942 |
Private Frank F. Mancinelli, 1943 |
Click Here To See Photos
Of Frank
With His Wife Rose
| Last Name: MANCINELLI |
First Name
Middle Initial: FRANK |
Nick Name: MANCI |
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| Street: 800 MAINSTREET LOT325 |
City
& State: DUNEDIN, FL |
E-Mail: |
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| Zip: 34698-5104 | Phone: | SPOUSE: ROSE M. | |
| Conflict: WW II | Service Branch: ARMY | Unit: E. CO 47 INF 9 DIV | |
| Theater: ETO | Where Captured: AFRICA | Date Captured: 03/28/43 | |
| Camps Held In: CAMPO 59, MOOSEBERG, STALAG IIB IN HAMMERSTEIN | How Long Interned: 25 MO | ||
| liberated / repatriated: LIBERATED | Date of LIBERATED: 04/18/45 | Age at Capture: 23 | |
| Medals Received: POW MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, FRENCH MOROCCO WITH 2 BATTLE STARS, TUNISA | |||
| Military Job: BAR MACHINE GUNNER | Company: MATTIA PRINTING COMPANY | ||
| Occupation after War: PRINTER | |||
| Bio: Frank was born January 20, 1918 in Newark, NJ. He was the youngest of 6 children; 3 brothers and 2 sisters. He grew up helping neighbors. After grammar school, he went to the Boy's Vocational School in Newark, NJ and learned to be a printer. After graduation, he went to work for Geiger Brothers Printing Company in Newark, NJ where he helped print calendars and diaries. He met Rose Zarro there who would later become his wife. He was drafted into the Army on January 13, 1941 and proceeded to Fort Dix, NJ for induction. He trained in Fort Bragg, North Carolina for 22 months in the 9th Inf. Division He arrived overseas on the invasion of Africa. After fighting across French Morocco and Tunisia, he was wounded in action at the Kasarine Pass where the German & Italian troops took him prisoner on March 28, 1943. He was transported to the hospital in Palermo, Sicily where he stayed for 14 days. He was transferred to a hospital in Bologna, Northern Italy for a 6-month recovery. He was loaded onto a boxcar with 100 other prisoners who were being transported to Campo 59 in Italy. When Italy capitulated, he was set free into German occupied Italy where freedom lasted 10 days. Then, while trying to reach American lines, he was re-captured by German troops and taken back to Campo 59. He was held there until a train of boxcars arrived to transport the POW's to Germany. This trip lasted 6 days & 5 nights in the boxcar with no food or water. They arrived in Mooseberg, Germany. After a short stay, they were transported to Stalag 2 B in Hammerstein, Germany. That lasted 1 and ½ years. During that time, the POW's were sent out on daily work details. With the Russians persuing the Germans, he was transported to different camps. He was put in a Camp in Hamburg, Germany. After a few days he was taken to Cologne, Germany. On April 18, 1945, A British Tank Battalion liberated the POW camp. All the men were then admitted to a hospital in France where they were treated for yellow jaundice, malnutrition and dysentery. All were then moved to Camp Lucky Strike in LaHarve, France to await shipment back to the USA. Late May of 1945, the men were loaded onto a ship heading for New York. This took 6 days. On Memorial Day, the men saw the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor and were home at last. On July 1, 1945 he married Rose Zarro and they settled in Irvington, NJ. They worked together at Geiger Brothers for one year. Rose and Frank raised 4 children; Richard, Irene, Angela Podskalny and Lisa Giamella. They are now the proud grandparents of 5; Dean & Cara Mancinelli, Frank & Victoria Giamella and Adam Podskalny. Frank and Rose relocated to Dunedin, FL in October of 1988 and are enjoying their retirement. |
Message to Future Generations:
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