Just before Memorial Day weekend when many reflected on the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice in war Massport unveiled a new World War II Memorial on the section of the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway just behind the Wood Island MBTA station.
The memorial was officially dedicated last Thursday after years of lobbying by longtime East Boston activists like Mary Ann Curtis, who was in attendance at last week’s dedication, and the late Dr. Edith DeAngelis.
Gabriela Coletta, World War II Purple Heart recipient Rocco Telese, Rep. Adrian Madaro, and Marine combat veteran and founder of the Wounded Veterans Run Andrew Biggio help dedicate Eastie’s new World War II Memorial on the Greenway.
“All of us in some way have been touched by the events of World War II,” said Massport Deputy Director Federal Affairs and Community Relations Anthony T. Guerriero. “President John F Kennedy, who had deep East Boston roots, once said of World War II and his generation, “The war made us and it was our greatest single moment”. The memory of the war is a key to our character as a nation. My maternal grandfather, who arrived in East Boston as an infant in 1913 served in the US Navy during the war and it was truly a defining time in life just like it was for Massport CEO Lisa Wieland, who’s grandfather and father both served with distinction.”
Massport Director of Corporate Security Harold Shaw, who served for nine years in the US Army, said dedicating the new memorial was of personal significance as a veteran and former FBI agent.
“Let us remember those who have fallen in World War II and in other conflicts in the defense of our country,” he said. “Let us never forget their sacrifice.”
Rep. Adrian Madaro said there was not a more appropriate way to begin Memorial Day weekend than to honor the Eastie soldiers who had fallen during World War II.
“Far too many lost their lives in that battle for freedom and for democracy,” said Madaro. “Sixteen million men and women served in the armed forces during World War II and while many made it home many lost their lives against tyranny and oppression. Out of the 16 million that served less than two percent or roughly 300,000 veterans of the war are alive today so it is important that we honor them.”
Madaro went on to give a special thanks to Marine combat veteran Andrew Biggio, founder of the Wounded Veterans Run.
“I want to give a special thank you to my dear friend Andrew Biggio,” said Madaro. “Beyond working on the Wounded Veterans Run he has made it his life’s mission to honor the sacrifices of World War II veterans. He has taken a number of delegations of surviving veterans back to the theater of combat in Italy, France, and Belgium. I could think of no more important mission because he is ensuring that those stories are never lost.”
City Councilor Gabriela Coletta added she was grateful to those who worked tirelessly, to ensure this dedication was made possible.
:”I would be remiss if I didn’t appropriately honor the ever persistent force and thorn in the side of many, the late Dr. Edith DeAngelis,” said Coletta. “This dedication would not have happened without her because she demanded from all of us to fight for what matters. So I’m deeply humbled to be here in this space, saying her name and attributing a large part of this memorial to her work and advocacy. So I’d like to close in memory of Eddy, all of those who lost their lives during World War II and all United States veterans.”
The memorial is dedicated to all Eastie veterans that served in World War II and at last week’s event veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Rocco Telese, was on hand to help unveil the memorial.
In 1944 Telese was a 19-year-old soldier fighting for his life as allied forces stormed the coast of Italy. Telese was a soldier and scout for the U.S. Army infantry during the Battle of Anzio. The battle was an pivotal moment of the Italian Campaign during World War II with the Allied amphibious landing against German forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno.
Telese was wounded not once, but twice during the battle but poor record keeping at the time and a subsequent fire at the National Archives years later erased any evidence of Telese’s battle injuries.
For the next 73 years, Telese lobbied the government for the one thing he felt he deserved for bravely serving his country during the war.
Then on Saturday, September 16, 2017 the Army righted a wrong and corrected history by finally awarding the 97-year-old Telese his Purple Heart.