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name
TOMASELLO, Andrew Richard "Andy" - Date of
birth
3 April 1924 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Somerville, Middlesex County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Chelsea, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
31357090 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
unknown -
Unit
A Company,
165th Engineer Combat Battalion
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
21 March 1945 - Place of
death
On the road from Hornbach to Zweibruecken just before crossing a small bridge into the main portion of Hornbach.
Hornbach, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 20 | 17 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Frank Tomasello (father)
Anna Tomasello (mother)
Roy Tomasello (brother)
Frank Tomasello (brother)
More information
A Company was billeted in a house in Hornbach, Germany. On 21 March 1945 in late afternoon there was an explosion within the house killing 12 and wounding 8 others. A time delay bomb was strategically placed by the retreating Germans. Remains of 7 of those 12 deceased were recovered. 5 bodies remained in the rubble due to the mission of the Battalion. Lt. Col. Shilling had to give the order to cease attempts to recover the bodies and prepare to move out in accordance with his orders. The remains of Pfc Tomasello were one of those 5.On 8 September 1948, the Graves Registration went back to Hornbach, Germany to retrieve the 5 bodies. They found his remains were mixed in the rubble with another man's remains and it was impossible to separate them. Both remains weighed 15 pounds. They were buried together until proper identification could be made. On 1 November 1949 the remains were identified. His remains were interred in the Ardennes American Cemetery. From March 1945 until September 1949 the remains of Pfc Tomasello were listed as unknown X-7889
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Frank Tomasello (photo courtesy of Alan Amelinckz, Superintendent of the Ardennes Cemetery / drawing by Gina Johnson - 2013)