Delvecchio, Daniel

Daniel Delvecchio

Early Life

Daniel Walter Delvecchio was born on September 17, 1894, in Castelfranco in Miscano, in the province of Benevento, Italy, the son of Francesco Del Vecchio and Maria Giovanni Riccio. He spent his early years in southern Italy before immigrating to the United States, where he became part of the growing Italian immigrant population in Westchester County, New York.

He settled in the Harrison and Rye area, where he established himself as a skilled tradesman. At the turn of the twentieth century, communities such as Rye and its neighboring towns relied heavily on immigrant labor, with many Italian families contributing to regional development through trades and manual professions. Delvecchio worked as a plumber in Harrison, reflecting both his integration into American life and his role within this vital working-class community.

World War I Service

Delvecchio registered for the draft on June 5, 1917, in Westchester County, New York, listing his residence in Harrison and his occupation as a plumber. At the time, he was a naturalized citizen, reflecting his transition from immigrant to full participant in American civic life.

He was inducted into military service on May 27, 1918, in Westchester County, New York, as part of the United States Army’s expansion under the American Expeditionary Forces.

Delvecchio was assigned to Company D of the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, a key unit of the 1st Infantry Division, known as the “Big Red One,” one of the first American divisions to arrive in France and engage in sustained combat operations. Machine gun battalions were essential to infantry warfare on the Western Front, providing concentrated automatic fire to support advances, defend positions, and break enemy resistance.

Serving with this unit from June through November 1918, Delvecchio participated in the period when the 1st Infantry Division was heavily engaged in major offensives, including the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, the first major American-led offensive which reduced a long-standing German salient, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the largest operation of the war for American forces, aimed at breaking through German defensive lines and forcing a general retreat.

He later served with the 159th Training Company, continuing his role within the Army’s system for organizing and sustaining forces as operations continued and units were reinforced during the final phase of the war and the post-Armistice period.

Delvecchio served in France from June 30, 1918, to June 25, 1919, including occupation duty following the Armistice of November 11, 1918. His record indicates that he sustained no wounds in action.

He was honorably discharged on June 28, 1919.

Life After Service

Following the war, Delvecchio returned to Westchester County, where he built a stable and enduring life centered on family, work, and community. On September 27, 1919, he married Julia Sophia Bach, and together they raised two daughters, Dorothy and Julia.

He resided for many years at 14 Francis Avenue in Harrison, becoming a well-known and respected member of the local community. He was employed by New York State prior to his retirement and remained active in veterans’ organizations, including lifelong membership in the Carle Anderson Post of the American Legion in Harrison.

He was also a member of the Church of St. Gregory the Great, reflecting his continued connection to faith and community life.

Daniel Walter Delvecchio died on January 28, 1971, at Rosary Hill Hospital in Hawthorne, New York, at the age of 76.

At the time of his death, he was survived by his two daughters, Mrs. Thomas (Dorothy) Smith of Harrison and Mrs. James (Julia) Frey of Fishkill, New York; his brother, Leonard Del Vecchio of Bridgeport, Connecticut; and eight grandchildren.