Name/Title
Emil Dolce Canvas Field BagEntry/Object ID
Gear2024.26Description
Emil S. Dolce
ASN: 20322712
From his obituary:
Emil joined the National Guard's 112th Howitzer Company in Oil City, Pennsylvania in 1937. After three years he received his honorable discharge as a Sergeant. In the fall of 1940, there was talk of the draft. My captain called me and asked me to re-enlist rather than get drafted. I enlisted and became Supply Sgt. and we were soon mustered into the regular army and shipped to Fort Meade, Maryland, where we were the first to train the first draftees. In the fall of 1941, we were shipped to Fort Bragg, N.C., to join forces with 700,000 other enlisted men for the Carolina Maneuvers to prepare for World War II, which happened right after Pearl Harbor. During the Maneuvers, my platoon was ordered to dig fox holes in the designated area where tanks were to come through. When tanks came through and ran over us while we were in the fox holes, the ground gave in on us and six of my men were crushed to death. I was hospitalized with a broken neck and a broken back, plus cut and bruised badly. I was later released to my unit and weeks later given an honorable discharge. I returned home to my wife and daughter in Oil City, Pa. and soon went to work in a war plant, Struthers and Wells Company in Titus, Pa. In late 1944, I got a draft notice that I had to go back into the service for the third time. I went to Fort McEveland, Alabama for three more months of rugged basic training. I was then sent for six weeks of radio school training. I was shipped to Italy and assigned to the 88th Blue Devil Division and again to six more weeks of advanced training. After completion I was assigned to the Division Radio Station. We were stationed there to protect the border between Northern Italy and Yugoslavia. It was there when I was hit with shrapnel in my left knee and later was given a complete knee replacement. I was discharged in 1946 with an honorable disability. Emil was awarded the following medals: American Defense Campaign, Army of Occupation, Good Conduct, World War II Victory Pin, European E.A.M.E. Campaign Disabled Veterans Pin, Overseas Eagle Pin, Expert Infantry Badge, D.A.V. Lifetime Member Pin, and was considered Expert on the following weapons: 45 pistol, M.I. Rifle, Thirty and Caliber Machine Gun.Create Date
January 7, 2025Update Date
June 1, 2025
