LOUISVILLE - Joseph Thomas Prestigiacomo died at home with his partner, Patricia Vernon, by his side. He was 96 years old.
   Born February 06, 1924, he was the second of three children born to James and Mary Lena (nee Abrams). “Joey” was a Catholic and attended St. Boniface School as a child.
   At 17 years of age, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. In 1943, he was transferred to the 82ndAirborne, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Headquarters Divisions. His combat jumps as a “Red Devil” included Operation Overlord in Normandy and Operation Market Garden in Holland. He earned a Purple Heart in the latter campaign.
   Joe would continue his passion for skydiving with a local jump club in Louisville.  Occasionally, Joe could be seen entertaining holiday shoppers when he parachuted into a parking lot dressed as Santa Claus.
   In 1950, he married Mary Lee “Mickey” Tierney. They had three children.
    He retired in 1990 from Henry Vogt Machine Company
   Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lee (1989), his sister, Frances Tabacheck (2006) and his brother, Jasper “Tudy” (2016).
   He is survived by his loving partner, Patricia Vernon and her daughter, Lou Ann, his three children; Tom in Memphis, TN,  Gary, in Daytona Beach, FL and Mary Kay Goins, in Nashville, TN, as well as four grandchildren; Jimmy and Valerie Goins and Katie (Tom) Brezina and Joe Prestigiacomo II.
    In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Kosair Children Hospital.
   Due to COVID, the family plans to have a Celebration of Life Service at a later date.

[The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky, 06 Aug 2020, Thu, Page A12]

Joseph was inducted into the Army at  Fort Thomas, Newport, KY on 24 October 1941. 

For reasons unknown, his draft registration was completed, or updated, on 30 June 1942, perhaps while home on leave.

Following his induction, Pvt Prestigiacomo was assigned to Hq 2nd, 508th PIR but his date of arrival is unknown as the 1942 morning reports for that company are not available.

Similarly, the date of his promotion to Pfc is unknown but on 21 July 1943 he was promoted to Corporal.

Cpl Prestigiacomo was wounded in action on 20 September 1942  when the index finger on one had was fractured by a rifle bullet, His medical treatment was described as "Causative Agent: Bullet, Rifle, Medical Treatment: Fracture, closed with splints or casts."

He was returned to duty on 21 December 1942 but as the regiment was already deployed to Belgium, he was transferred to Service Company which had a contingent at the base camp.

His military decorations include the Purple Heart and the Bonze Service Arrowhead device awarded for participation in the Normandy assault.