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Personal info

Full name
TORNATORE, Andrew Albert
Date of birth
9 March 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
20304132
Rank
Private
Function
unknown
Unit
110th Infantry Regiment,
28th Infantry Division
Awards
Silver Star,
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
10 September 1944
Place of death
Near Arlon, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Epinal
Plot Row Grave
B 40 35

Immediate family

Members
Albert M. Tornatore (father)
Virginia E. (Consalvo) Tornatore (mother)
Anna Y. Tornatore (sister)
Frances Tornatore (sister)
Mary C. Tornatore (sister)
Sara J. Tornatore (sister)
Helen J. Tornatore (sister)
Frank A. Tornatore (brother)
Gabriel Tornatore (sister)
Irma J. (Morelli) Tornatore (wife)

More information

Pvt Andrew A. Tornatore graduated from Altoona High School in 1940.

He joined the National Guard in Altoona, Pennsylvania on 17 February 1941 and was sent overseas in October 1943.
Pvt Tornatore was awarded the Silver Star Med posthumously. The citation cited:
"On 10 September 1944, in Belgium, Pvt Tornatore was a member of a reconnaissance party ahead of the leading battalion of infantry as it was marching towards a large city. Upon approaching the city, the party encountered an enemy road block and at that same time Pvt Tornatore's vehicle came under heavy enemy automatic weapons and mortar fire. As he dismounted and proceeded forward in an effort to locate the source of the fire, two enemy half-tracks which had the party cut off, approached from the rear firing automatic weapons and throwing hand grenades in his direction. Despite the intense enemy fire, Pvt Tornatore continued on in his efforts to locate the source of the fire covering the road block until he fell mortally wounded. His courage, fearlessness and aggressiveness in the face of inevitable death enabled word to be passed back to the leading battalion, which proceeded to neutralize the obstacle. The extraordinary heroism and magnificent devotion to duty of Pvt Tornatore served as a priceless inspiration to all who saw his actions and reflected the highest credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States."
He was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery in Solers, France.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / My own bunch of crazies, www.findagrave.com, www.newspapers.com – Altoona Tribune 20 November 1944.
Photo source: www.findagrave.com – Andy, www.ancestry.com - jzancestry, Altoona High School 1940