An unexpected surprise! My Great Grandfather's WWI Medals!

[GIZMO8Z]

Here is the first batch of info on my Great Grandfather... they appear to be his draft papers:

[lithgow]

The Italian Victory Medal (like all issued by the various Allied countries) has a variation to what was supposed to be a pretty standard design-the reverse features Heracles/Hercules as an infant crushing 2 serpents in his bare hands (the snakes having been sent by the goddess Hera to kill him)-you're lucky the medals are all together in the same place as when the gongs aren't mounted together they are easily lost or split up between family members over time.

[GIZMO8Z]

Thanks, lithgow!

It seems as if everyone in my family forgot about them... I was shocked when I asked my great aunt about them and she confirmed that she had them! I had no idea my great grandfather served!!

[GIZMO8Z]

Here is my Great Grandfather's service record!

[Cadillac]

That is awesome. When I go back to NY for Christmas I am receiving my Grandfather's WW2 medals, and then down the line his brother's WW2 Purple heart, CIB, and his 48 star flag (he was KIA)

[GIZMO8Z]

Here is my Great Grandfather's service record!

Son of the late Francis Petrocca and Maria Rizzo. Sebastiano Petrocca was first postponed from military service for poor constitution.

Height mt. 1.56, chest mt. 0.74, straight brown hair, a flat nose, protruding chin, brown eyes, pale complexion, healthy teeth; illiterate.

On February 7, 1917 Sebastiano was drafted, probably because of the great need of men of the Army as a result of the bloo
dy losses in earlier battles, though the only son of a widowed mother, but revised and sent on leave indefinitely. However, on March 2, 1917 he was drafted into the Army and on March 17 1917 he was assigned to the 6th Infantry Regiment for front-line training. On May 27, 1917 he was sent to the territory declared in state of war. On 9 August 1917 he was assigned to the 112th Infantry Regiment, with which he remained until the end of the war, and was demobilized on January 19, 1920.

One of the many heroic Italian soldiers who won World War One. My bisnonno.

I believe he was a member of the Piacenza Brigade.

[GIZMO8Z]

[AZPhil]

Hey Gizmo!!
If you don't mind.
How about you show the pic you have of him in uniform?

[GIZMO8Z]

Hey Gizmo!!
If you don't mind.
How about you show the pic you have of him in uniform?

Hi Phil,

I wish I had a photo of him!

[GIZMO8Z]

With the help of others, this is what I was able to put together on my bisnonno... (assuming we read the handwriting and rubber stamps correctly... )

Sebastiano Petrocca

Son of the late Francesco Petrocca and Maria Rizzo

Hometown: Petilia Policastro, Province of Crotone, Region of Calabria, Italy

Height: 1.56m
Chest: .74m
Hair: straight brown
Nose: flat
Chin: protruding
Eyes: brown eyes
Complexion: pale
Teeth: healthy
Education: illiterate
Occupation: farmer

Sebastiano was first exempt from military service due to: “poor constitution. “

On February 7, 1917 Sebastiano was drafted because of the great need for men in the Army as a result of the high losses in earlier bloody battles, though the only son of a widowed mother, but revised and sent on leave indefinitely.

On March 2, 1917 he was drafted into the Army and on March 17 he was went to the territory declared in state of war to join the 6th Infantry Regiment probably for combat training.

On 9 August 1917 he was assigned to the 112th Infantry Regiment, Piacenza Brigade. He stayed with this unit until the end of the war.

In August 1917, the Piacenza Brigade was engaged during the Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo River in the Nad Logem area. August, 24, the Brigade was withdrawn to Romans d'Isonzo to rest and refit. From October ,1 to 16, the Brigade returned to the Isonzo front in the Pod Koriti area. The Brigade was later involved in the retreat to the River Piave, fighting alongside some British units. Specifically, from June, 16 to 23, 1918 the Brigade repulsed numerous Austrian attacks, losing 33 officers and 1,209 enlisted men. After having refit, the Brigade returned to the line of the Piave from August, 5 to October, 24. On October, 29, the Brigade crossed the Piave, pressing the enemy towards Vittorio Veneto, where the Brigade entered on October, 30, after a 17 hours uninterrupted fighting march, and reached on November, 4, 1918, at the end of the war, the area of Serravalle.

Sebastiano was demobilized and sent home on January 19, 1920.

My Great Grandfather, one of the many heroic Italian soldiers who won World War One.