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(courtesy of Nancy Hurley)
Grave marker for Frank J. Circelli. in Plot: 110, 0, 654 of
the Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell (Sumter County), FL |
World War II veteran Frank J. Circelli of Hollywood died
Tuesday at Memorial Hospital in Hollywood. He was 66.
Mr. Circelli moved to Hollywood in 1959 from Cleveland, where he was
born. He served in the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II and
was a paratrooper during the invasion of Normandy.
He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his valor in
action during the invasion, said his wife of 30 years, Bernice. After
the war, he worked as a painting contractor until retiring.
Mr. Circelli was a member of the board of directors of the 82nd Airborne
Chapter of South Florida. He was also a life member of the Disabled
American Veterans Chapter No. 41 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post
No. 2500, both in Hollywood. He was also a member of Nativity Catholic
Church.
He is survived by his wife, Bernice of Hollywood; two sons, Frank of
Fort Lauderdale and Anthony of Indiantown, Fla.; two daughters, Terri
Sobb of Perrysburg, Ohio, and Victoria Ward of Arlington, Texas; two
brothers, Joseph and John, both of Solon, Ohio; two sisters, Mafalda
Trombetto and Philomena Famageltto, both of Solon; and three
grandchildren.
Visitation is scheduled for 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Thursday. A service is
planned by the 82nd Airborne Group at 7:30 p.m Thursday. A mass will be
held at 10 a.m. Friday at Nativity Catholic Church in Hollywood. He will
be buried at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell on Monday. Panciera
Memorial Home is in charge of arrangements.
(The Miami Herald, Miami, FL, 12 Jul 1989, Page
6BR - courtesy of Tedd Cocker) |
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Frank was a member of Company A and was later transferred
to Hq 1st. He was a Pfc in the 10th position of Chalk 6, Lt. Guillot's
stick, on D-Day. He was severely wounded on
8 Jun 1944 near Hill 30, Normandy.
An urgent radio
message from Hill 30 indicated that they desperately needed blood
plasma. Captain Adams asked for volunteers to take the plasma to Hill
30. 1st Lieutenant Roy Murray, Corporal Green, and Private First Class
Circelli from Hq1 volunteered. They strapped blood plasma pouches to
their bodies and during the night left the completely surrounded area.
They did not get through to Hill 30.
Lieutenant Murray
was killed. Corporal Green (unit unknown) was found in a hedgerow a week
later completely dazed from the effects of a concussion grenade. Pfc
Circelli made it back with several bullets in his arm; he had also been
shot in the neck and his lip and chin were shot off. |
