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pass ran out. Antanacio, Joe’s uncle, said he would pay to fly
Joe back to NC so he could stay a few more days. Uncle Joe was
to leave on Sunday and as a serviceman, had priority on boarding
the plane. However, a lieutenant bumped him from his seat and as
a result, he got back to camp a day late. A colonel chewed him
out for being AWOL and sent him to his company commander for
punishment but Captain Abraham never said a word. Uncle Joe
learned that while he was away on furlough, he missed out on
being selected to be sent overseas for assignment to the 504th
PIR, part of a group to replace paratroopers lost in fierce
fighting at the Anzio beachhead. It would be two years and five
months before Joe and Angie would see each other again. Angie
lived with her parents for the remainder of the war, working as
a secretary at Lowell elementary school in Phoenix.
While still at Camp Mackall, the Army presented Uncle Joe with
another golden opportunity. The Congressional Act of March 27,
1942 amended the Nationality Act of 1940 thereby granting
judicial citizenship to non-U.S. servicemen serving in the
States. Uncle Joe and 40 other non-U.S. citizen soldiers were
sent by truck to the Federal courthouse in Phenix City, AL.
There a judge in court ordered them to stand up, raise their
right hands, pronounced them citizens of the United States and
bid them “good luck.” Joe was indeed lucky, recognizing that his
lack of education would otherwise have precluded him passing the
written test required for citizenship.
The 508th numbered 2,000 men divided into three parachute
infantry battalions plus support companies. The 508th‘s nickname
was the “Red Devils” and their war cry was “Diablo!” As a
demolition specialist, Uncle Joe was assigned to the regiment’s
Headquarters, Headquarters Company along with other specialists
in intelligence, communications, supply, etc. He would be
attached to an infantry battalion whenever their mission called
for demolition expertise
The regiment successfully completed their training at Camp
Mackall and on December 19, moved by train to Camp Shanks NY
located NW of NYC near the Hudson River. Known as “Last Stop
USA” during WW II, it was the major port of embarkation for
troops deploying to the European Theater. Soldiers were
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