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Personal info

Full name
SCIRTO, Joseph J
Date of birth
29 August 1923
Age
21
Place of birth
Lockport, Niagara County, New York
Hometown
Lockport, Niagara County, New York

Military service

Service number
32831853
Rank
Private
Function
unknown
Unit
194th Glider Infantry Regiment,
17th Airborne Division
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 March 1945
Place of death
Wesel, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
C 17 4

Immediate family

Members
Joseph Scirto (father)
Dominica Scirto (mother)
Marie Scirto (sister)
Josephine Scirto (sister)
Anthony Scirto (brother)
William T. Scirto (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
unknown
Data
unknown

More information

Pvt Joseph Scirto graduated from Lockport High School in 1943 where he was active in sports.

He enlisted on 5 February 1943 at Buffalo, New York.

On 24 March 1945, F/O Warren R. Miller was flying glider No. 45-6097 (position 99) and I, James W. Bartelse, was flying Glider No. 42-43004 (position 100). The mission was a double tow pulling Warren R. Miller and myself on the same tow. Because of smoke over the LZ, we overshot our cut off point. When Glider No. 45-6097 finally cut off I followed him in on what seemed to be a 180 degree approach. When I last looked ahead I saw flak hit his right elevator. Just after I last saw him I pulled my tail chute and we dropped below him. I assumed he kept the same heading and landed further down. The last time I saw him he was 300 feet in the air and slightly ahead of me. I didn't see him land and can't say he crashed.
There were 2 crewmembers and 13 passengers, all from the 17th AB Div on board. Joseph Scirto was one of them.

Source of information: Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.archives.gov, WWII Draft Cards; 1940 Census

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Lockport High School Yearbook, 1942