It was September of 1940, I was 17 years old, from Queens, New York City, New York, USA. I was from Ozone Park, and was the son of Italian Immigrants from Corleone in Palermo, in Sicily. I was to graduate High School in 1941, from John Adams, which was named after our 2nd President. We were not in the war yet, but about to be in it soon, because tensions between us and Japan were rising, due to us cutting off their oil supply.

Anyway, I remember the day I was 17, I was a truck driver for the American Can Company, and while I was done for the weekend, I saw a flyer which said "I want you for the US Army." I picked it up and automatically drove my 1940 Ford Pickup home with it as well. I ran back to my house as soon as I could, on 134th Ave.

I suddenly started having flashbacks to back when I was ten years old. The year was 1933, it was during the depression, I was homeschooled for a few months, due to how I had to help my father Franco, with work and money. I worked as a paper boy, and one day as I was delivering papers, I heard some boys shouting some racial remarks towards my younger brother Louis. Louis was a great kid, my brother, but he couldn't never stop getting into trouble, whether that would be me beating up bullies for him, or him doing stupid shit in general.

They're were a bunch of preppy WASPy types of kids, meaning they were White Anglo Saxon Protestants whom were picking on my kid brother yet again. They were beating him up, because of our country of origin, Italy, and honestly I hate racism, it's so liberalistic. Even my father Franco, was one of the few to vote for President Hoover, he never believed in welfare or new deal, he always believed in working on your own and self help, but unfortunately the idiot Roosevelt kicked our asses.

I ran up to the main leader and the beat the hell out of him again, and the kids got scared and all ran off. My brother, I helped him up saying, "What happened this time Louis!" My brother told me about them picking on him and beating him up while walking back to our house on 134th Ave. He had a black eye and a bloody nose, and the bully leader had a worsened face I given him. We went home, and my mother Maria, was crying saying "Luigi che cos'è successo con te, e Franco, che cosa con le tue cazzoni?" I said to my Ma "Ho combattuto dei barbarismi ancora, sta bene." Later that night, my father came home, we were having mashed potatoes, turkey, green beans, and spareribs, along with gnocchi and arancini with steak and lamb chops and a bunch of other types of foods, as that's what an American-Italian family is about, a lot of food, and my mother made all of it. My father knew how to make the best antipastos in the world as well, and my mother made the best gnocchi, but honestly I loved my father a bit more than my mother, because he made me into the man I am today, a sheepdog.

My father Franco was saying to me "Franco, ascoltami, anche a te Luigi e anche te Maria, ci sono tre tipi diversi di persone in questo mondo, loro sono le pecore, i cani da pastore, e i lupi, allora, ci sono molte persone che non vogliano a credere che i cattivi esistano in questo mondo, sono delle pecore. Allora, hai dei predatori, usano della violenza per provare un punto, da prepotere i deboli, e finalmente ci sono gli uni che siano benedetti con il regalo di sapere entrambe i buoni e i cattivi, e per confrontare il lupo mentre le pecore si condividono, loro sono i cani da pastore. Allora non ci alziamo delle pecora in questa famiglia, e io colpirò il tuo culo se vi diventerate dei lupi. "Franco calmati!" My mother said. My father finished "Allora Franco, se qualcuno prepoterà tuo fratellino, o me o tua madre, o alcuni degli tuoi amici o le persone che ti interessi, hai la mia percussione per finirlo, allora che è successo." I said to my father "Papà, il ragazzo stava prepotendo Luigi!" My father asked "È vero Luigi?" Luigi nodded and said "Sì papà, lo faceva lui." As Louis was smiling. My father asked "L'hai finito?" I said "Sì, papà!" My father smiling and praised me laughing "Ottimo lavoro!" Everyone was laughing and smiling my mother thanking St. Michael, and we were "Saluti!" My father kissed my mother and then had said "Allora Franco, sul serio, sai che tu sia, sai il tuo scopo!"

Fall 1940 Boxing Match

"Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Ozone Park of Queens New York! Today we have High School Senior Frank Aiello, weighing at 190 and standing a 6'2, whom is contesting against a rival, the one and only James Metz!" My brother Louis, now 14, was preparing me for my fight, and saying "Okay Frank, you remember the training, be ready, I'm here for you, along with Cousin Gus Carisi!" Gus was saying "Shake a leg kid!" Suddenly I was out there.

I was boxing the same guy whom bullied my brother constantly, and now I versing him in boxing, the final championships, and we're getting at it, the kid was saying racial remarks to me, and I was saying them back. I then used my combos My Cousin Gus taught me, and knocked the motherfucker out, and I won the championships at 17, and gained a nice real trophy. I was driving the brand new 1940 Ford Pickup home, and my brother was congratulating me, and my parents were away in Atlantic City, NJ having fun, and me and my brother were home alone, along with my girlfriend, Gabriella, and I was driving.

Louis was saying "Wow Frankie, I can't believe you won!" I was saying "It was freaking easy, he beat the hell out of you so many damn times, let's hope that bitch Metz doesn't do it again!" Me and Louis walked into the house, and I was saying happily, "Man it's great to be home, and wait until you see what this thing does, know when and now, haha." I was unbuckling my belt, and saying "Hey babe who wants to fuck a real boxing LaMo- what the fuck?!" My girlfriend Sue was cheating on me. "You said you weren't going to be until tomorrow, and he didn't know Frank, he didn't know, leave him alone!"

I was fucking pissed, I'm boxing my brother's grammar school bully and he didn't know that I was already fucking my girl, unbelievable. I punched the guy around, and dragged him of the room as my brother was watching laughing and Sue was trying to get me off screaming "Leave him alone!" I then brought him out and I screamed "He didn't know what, he didn't see another guys decorations on the wall, my picture, and my clothes, you motherfucker!" I broke his nose, and I grabbed him screaming "Put the fucking hat on and fucking get the fuck out of Ozone!"

She waved her blond hair back and screamed "What the fuck is wrong with you!" I said back "Get out!" She then said "You think you and brother Louis can go every weekend to go to boxing tournaments, don't you understand, I do this to get attention don't you get that." I then said calmly again for the last time "Get your stuff and get out!" Sue then said "You know what fine, you want to be that way fine, go ahead, just that you're not a boxer, and a lazy Buffon, and you're a shitty fucking man!" She slammed the door as cars were beeping, and then I was laughing saying to my 14 year old brother not to say it, he asked "When's the wedding?" I cracked up laughing.

We then went into the living room, and I sat down, and I said, "Let's turn the radio on!" We were listening to the radio as we were bullshiting about boxing, the war in Europe, and Conservative Politics. "Hello everybody, you reached ABC, and today on May 1st of 1940, there were three Jewish American people killed by Hitler Youth Boys in Berlin while touring the country, President Roosevelt and the Fihrer have been getting at it for a while, and the USA may be one step away from declaring war on the Nazi Land of Germany!" I was screaming to Louis "Turn that up!" I was shaking my head in disbelief, "Look what they're doing to us!"

The next day after school, I had to go the American Can Company to deliver cans to the factory where my father worked, where he had told me he hated his job, even though he made good money, he told me that the only way to be truly happy is to be out there happy doing what you're doing. He also told me "You can be in the best place in the world, but however, your still can be unhappy." I delivered the cans to the factory, and then I walked home. That's when I saw the Army flyer, and I decided you know what, I'm joining the US Army.

I then took a train to Brooklyn near Bensonhurst, that's where the nearest recruiting office was, and I checked in. The guy's name was Lieutenant Joseph Turner, whom was a Lieutenant and Drill Sergeant. He was about 27 years old, and he said "Hello, how are you doing, I'm Lt Turner nice to meet you!" I then said "Hi, Frank Aiello, I'm pissed off at Germany, nice to meet you!" Lt Turner grinned "He read my document I filled out, and he said "You're pissed off, you're from Queens, and you want to fight?" I then said "Yes Lt. Turner!" He then looked at me again, and said "Well I then the US Army is the best thing for you!" I looked at it "Okay no problem, remember I don't quit, and plus where will I be stationed." Lt. Turner then said "That's for Lt. Pierson to decide, a friend of mine, he is charge of that." I nodded and said "Ok no problem."

Later that evening, I went home, and told my parents and Louis about it, they were at first hesitant, and they were eventually happy I was going to serve. My father, however was a World War I veteran, but didn't fight for the United States, he fought in the Italian Army, against the Austro-Hungarians and Germans, however my father always wanted to fight for the USA, but still helped them out. Lately, there has been discrimination against us because of Mussolini taking over, but people need to realize just because one Italian is bad, does that mean all of us American-Italians are bad, no, my parents came here speaking both English and Italian and Sicilian, and taught me and my brother, and provided and whacked for us. I, Frank Aiello, will never be ashamed of my American heritage and Italian (Sicilian) origin.

Months passed by, I graduated High School, and then I went into the US Army, and was stationed to Ft Benning in Georgia. I remember riding the bus and Lt. Turner being there, and he was shouting "Alright Ladies, today you will be part of the best military branch in the world, and you are going to never quit, never stop, feel confident and great, and be always very respectful and brave, I'm proud to lead you men into battle, anytime and anywhere, good luck throughout these 13 weeks of hell, but it will be not easy, however sure as hell fucking worth it!" We rode for a little while longer and then we stopped the bus, and Lt Pierson, was shouting "Let's go let's go let's go get off the bus move move!" I didn't hesitate I got off, got everything right when he asked me to do something, ran inside, and then got a meal, and sat down and watched film.

It was off General Eisenhower, instructing us on basically what Lt Turner said before, and then we ran, got our clothes and necessities we needed, and we all ran into the bathroom. We shaved our faces, surprisingly I didn't cut myself, and then ran to the sleeping barracks, made our beds, and automatically put on our uniforms. Lt. Pierson then screamed "Hello Ladies, today you are part of the US Army, the very best in the world, and I'm very proud to lead you into battle, along with Lt. Turner, and throughout this boot camp, you say Yes Drill Sergeant or No Drill Sergeant, and all times you will not be racist towards one other, we're all green, you will RESPECT YOUR SENIORS, and you will not discriminate anyone's religion, and you will not be disrespectful, as I sure as hell will never be disrespectful, if you are, you will face SEVERE CONSEQUENCES, however if me and Lt Turner are, then we will take accountability of it and apologize, everyone will be a team, whom will never quit, and never stop, and be the best they can be, do you understand me?!" We all shouted "YES DRILL SERGEANT!" Lt Pierson said "Good, now get some shut eye, we're going to have a long day tomorrow, goodnight ladies!" Lt. Pierson and Lt. Turner left the room.

I was lying down, the lights were shut, and I heard someone "Psst" to me, I whispered "Hello?" He sounded Mexican and he was like "Amigo up here!" I then whispered "Yes what's up?" He then said "Oh hey what's up, I'm Augustin Perez, I'm from Albuquerque in New Mexico, how about you what's your name?" I then said "Frank Aiello, I'm from Queens New York, Ozone Park Section, on 134th Ave. He then said "Oh shit, I hear a lot of Italians live there, are you Italian?" I said "Yes I'm Italian (Sicilian)!" He then said "Oh shit nah me I'm Mexican, my family came from Mexico to have a better life, how about you, is your family from Italy." I said "Yes, we're from Sicily, my parents came in the USA in 1921, my father fought in World War I for the Italian Army." He said "Oh shit nice, my father fought for Mexico, however it was sadly against the United States, but he wanted to truly fight for the USA." I said "The same with my old man!" He said "Oh shit anyway you know that little nerdy kid playing his camera, that's Andrew Stiles, hey nerd, this is Frank Aiello, say hello!" Stiles chuckled and said "Real funny Perez, hey what's up, what's your name?" I said "Frank Aiello and you." He said "Andrew Stiles, did you hear Perez May fight against us, hey his father was the enemy." I chuckled and said "Yes I did, I just can't believe the world has gone tipsy turvy with my old country Italy against us.

Andrew Stiles then said "Oh yeah, before we go to sleep, we got to introduce you to people, over there is Ronald Daniels, we call him Red, he's a farm boy from Longview Texas, there is Robert Zussman, he's Jewish, and he is from Chicago, Illinois. And then we have Marcus Howard, he's Black, and he is from Mobile Alabama, and then finally we have Shane Murphy, he's Irish, and he is from Boston." Now you Frank Aiello and Augustin Perez are new to the crew, and welcome. I then said jokingly "Did you go to college?" He said "Yes, why?" I said that "You look like it with your glasses, you New nickname is college!" They all chuckled and agreed, and then after that we proceeded to go to sleep as we were going to awoken again the next morning at 4:30 by Lt Turner and Lt Pierson.

4:30 June 2nd, 1940:

A whistle was suddenly blown andLt Pierson was shouting. "Let's go, let's go, get up, get up, and get dressed now, now! You have ten seconds move!" Lt. Turner counted and we got dressed and we didn't hesitate, and we proceeded. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1!" We did it all on time. "Nice work men, you got dressed on time!" Lt Pierson spoke "Now today, we are going to shave your heads down, you will get IVs and vaccines and other med tests, and then you will take physical exams to make sure you will be able to proceed in being in the very best Army force in the world, do you understand me!" We shouted "Yes Lt Pierson!" Lt Pierson said "Good, now let's get stuff done today, let's move, move!" We screamed "Yes Lt. Turner!"

We went to the barbershop, a black man shaved my head, Perez's head, Daniels' head, Zussman's head, Stiles' head, and Howard's head. We move as fast as we could, got our photos taken, and then proceeded with med tests. I had blood work, vision tests, vaccines, feet tests for curved feet (I had curved feet), and many other tests to make sure we were able to enlist, and guess what, we all passed, and I was the only one that had 20/20 vision, which is when I chose to be a sniper, and I was accepted. We exercised, had fun, worked as team, Lts Turner and Pierson were yelling, but were still cool, nothing personal.

The next morning and the following weeks we exercised, ran five miles a day, and learn how to fight, and we basically taking it easy, we all did well. Then we had to enter gas chambers, that was hell, we were all choking, and the funny part was that college past out and puked during the process. Pierson yelled "College what the hell are you doing get the hell up!" Stiles coughed through puked and said "Yes drill sergeant!" The next week, we practiced how to be tortured and what to do, if we're POWs.

It was the funniest thing I've ever experienced, Lt Turner was saying, "Squirrel, squirrel, squirrels, where the fuck are your nuts, how about you Perez, do you fucking Latinos make good tacos in America, like you did for the Germans in World War I?" Perez said "Yes sir, we make them great, real spicy too, meaning we make the enemy shit their guts out!" We all laughed. We further dug in the freezing cold muddy water. Pierson then said to Zussman "Hey Chicago boy, where the fuck is Mickey Cohen or Meyer Lansky to protect you here in the fatherland, do you want to be gased, or would you rather answer these questions, why the fuck do you Jews look like Mussolini and try to act tough like him." Zussman said "No sir, Cohen and Lansky are Polish Ukrainian Jews, I'm a German Jew, and the reason why we act tough and look like the Duce, is because we have a hell of a temper like them, and I'm no weak Jew, I'm a short fused Jew, and will the best for my country!" We all laughed. Lt Turner then said to Daniels "Wolves and more fucking solved hunting cattle in Texas, are you and Paulie hunting more wolves to protect the cattle, because you sure as hell hunt the Germans down like wolves, are you guys dangerous or a bunch of pussies?!" Daniels said "No sir, we hunt them like crazy, and show no mercy, and we always will protect the flock and show the enemy what real sheepdog are, because us gringo cowboys are invincible!" We all laughed. Lt. Pierson then asked Stiles "Hey college, I hear you're planing to nuke Hitler, do you nerds always know rocket science, or do you always show rockets up your asses." Stiles said jokingly, "Yes sir, we shove up many asses as matter a fact, which is that of Hitler's ass!" We all laughed. Lt. Turner then asked Howard "Hey it's Mr. Negro here, how about you good ol Marcus, do you make good peaches down in Georgia, are you better than anyone, or do you make Aryans proud!" Howard said "Yes sir, we're negroes that make good peaches, and don't worry, we make the Aryans proud, by making sweet peaches, and making sure they're ripe, and we scream hallelujah!" We all laughed. I was the last one to be tortured fakingly. Lt. Pierson said to me "Oh it's Mr Greaseball, Aiello, how are you doing Mr. Bonanno or Gambino or whatever the fuck your name is, do you order Nazis to be killed, or are you going to chop their faces up like Scarface Capone, and how do you make great ass Gnocchi!" I said "Yes sir, I'm dangerous as Capone, Luciano, Bonanno, Gambino, and Profaci, I make proud, I whack every guy that gets in my free way of America, and I mixed up the blood of the enemy to make it taste great!" We all laughed and that was the end of the funniest training experience I've ever had.

The last few weeks were easier, Turner and Pierson were more mentors than other drill sergeants, they made life easier as we progressed, and we learned how to shoot, it was great, I shot M1 Garlands, Thompson's, 1911 Colts, BARs, etc. The rest of my platoon did well as well. We then graduated and we all celebrated, I celebrated with my family who held a surprise party, and we filmed a silent film of us eating American and Italian food, and having dessert, basically having a blast.

6 months later March 25th, 1941, Bronx, NY, USA, Belmont Section.

I was at the Chez Bippy, where my Uncle Sonny Aiello, whom was a mob boss in the Bonanno Family, owned the place. There was a woman drinking, she was beautiful, she had brown hair and blue eyes, and she honestly looked sad. I was with Daniels and Perez and we were playing games and horsing around, and when they went home, I sat with her. There was a guy, he was a soldato in the family, and his name was Edoardo Scarpa, my cousin. He took off his wedding ring, and proceeded to hit on her. The woman said "Listen jackass, I saw you take off the ring, don't be a scumbag, go home!" Eddie laughed and left. I then said jokingly "It may have been a lack of a relationship or sex life." The woman said a bit pissed "Yeah, how would you know, is that how you guys think all of the time?" I said "No, I actually have a lot of respect!" She said "What is the difference, all guys I met were all mobbed up or losers, it doesn't matter." I then said "No I'm different, I'm a working man, meaning I go to sleep at night and they get shot at, let's play a drinking game you up for it!" The woman said in a Bronx accent "Game on!" She asked "You're obviously military what branch!" I said "US Army Special Forces!" She said hesitantly "Oh shit you're a soldier!" I said smiling "Yes ma'am!" She then said "Oh seriously, I know what you guys are, my sister dated a soldier, you are just a bunch of low lives that think that can do whatever the fuck you want!" I said pissed "Wait wait wait no freaking way, I am a great guy, along with the two men I was with, Daniels and Perez!" She said "Really how!?" I said "Well this the greatest country on earth, we would do anything to protect it!" She Frank two shots because she lost. We laughed and bullshit about the game and we were respectful and courteous to one another." She then ran outside puking "I held her head back treating her with respect, and she said "I'm not going home with you, so don't even think about it." I nodded. "You know you seem like a good guy, what's your name?" I said "Frank, Frank Aiello, and yourself?" She responded saying "Stella Santarelli!" I said "Nice to meet you Stella!" She said "You too Frank, give me a call sometime here's my number." I said "Okay!" She walked away to the taxi and I walked to my 1940 Ford Pickup.

As time went on, I drove trucks still part time, and worked for the US Army full time, and was socializing and keeping busy. One Saturday, in early April, I called Stella, and I asked her on the answering machine if she was okay and if she needed help, when I was cut off when she asked, need help with what? I said "Hey how are you what are you up to." She grinned and said "Nothing." We bullshit for a little bit, and she hanged up the phone. It was great between us, we dated for a long while throughout the months, and we really got along great. I was telling her the funniest experience I had in basic, with the torturing scene I mentioned earlier, and she died laughing.

2 Months Later, Seaside Heights, July 4th, 1941:

We walked on the boardwalk in Seaside, I won a shooting game contest, and won a teddy bear for her. I asked her "Do you ever want to have kids, she said "Maybe some day!" I told her "I like opera do you like opera?" She said "Only when I depressed." I then said "Let's go and watched the fireworks together. We watched the fireworks and we went home later, which was the first night we made love right on Independence Day, which was the same day I proposed to her, and she said yes!

The following months...

I was keeping busy with the Army guys, seeing my brother, whom surprisingly enlisted in the USMC at 15, as we were having further problems with Germany. We made love every night me and Stella. Everything was going great, I was making good money, me and Stella our own family home in Lyndhurst, NJ, and things were great. We then made through, until December happened.

December 8th, 1941, Aiello's home Third Ave, Lyndhurst NJ, USA:

I was shaving my face, and Stella was shouting "Frankie, come here now, oh no!" I ran in and said "Yes, what's up!" She said and shook her head saying "Oh my god!" We watched the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor killing civilians, cops, and military men. I scowled at the screen, and that's when President Roosevelt declared war on Japan. Without saucing a word, I got in Army uniform, and drove to work. Stella shouted "Frankie, where are you going!" I said "Work!" She let me go, wanting payback. I sped down the street on Ridge Road to go to the Belleville Turnpike towards New York City, and a Cop pulled me over. He said "Why are you speeding?" I said in Army uniform "Spare me a break, I'm about to go to war!" The Cop said "No worries, go and get some fucking payback! I nodded and drove off.

Tour One North Africa Tripoli, Italian Libya, January, 1942.

We were driving in tanks and Jeeps and Perez was speaking "Alright men, we are here to kick Rommel's ass, and help Italian Resistance and the British Special Forces capture Tripoli. We also have to save POWs as well, so now let's go and get our boys back and come back home to the USA!" I walked up to the building to watch Lt Turner's crew, where Daniels and Zussman came with me to watch Perez, Howard, Stiles, Turner, and Pierson. I grabbed my sniper rifle, looked out in the distance, there was an SS Soldier, and I phoned Turner about him, he said "It's up to you to finish him." The Gestapo nodded and he stepped off. They're suddenly was a German woman and a German boy coming out. They looked to be brother and sister, and the boy was 10 at least, and the sister was about 18-20. She whispered something, and she gave a German Stick Grenade to her brother. She told him to throw it to our platoon, I phoned Turner about it, he said "Proceed!" Without hesitating I shot the boy dead, that was my first kill. The sister yelled and wailed and she grabbed the grenade and went to throw it instead, my second kill came, and I shot her too. She went down killed, and the grenade exploded in the air, grazing Perez slightly, but he wasn't that injured at all thank God.

Zussman laughed saying "What a fucking evil bitch, you did a great job Aiello-" I screamed get the fuck off me. I looked at his dead body, saddened, but somehow I felt no regret, I protected our guys, and nobody was killed. Daniels was quiet and just shook is head with sadness.