Michael Vecchiollo
Early Life
Michael Vecchiollo was born on September 23, 1891, in Benevento, Italy. He immigrated to the United States in the early twentieth century and became part of the growing Italian-American community in Rye, New York, residing at 134 Maple Avenue.
Before entering military service, he worked as a teamster in Rye, including employment connected to the Apawamis Club, reflecting the labor and service roles that supported the local economy.
World War I Service
Vecchiollo registered for the draft in Rye on June 5, 1917, and was later inducted into the United States Army on June 24, 1918, at Local Board No. 6 in Westchester County, New York.
He was assigned to Company D of the 348th Infantry Regiment, part of the 87th Infantry Division, a unit organized during the war as part of the Army’s rapid expansion.
He served overseas in France from August 22, 1918, to March 3, 1919, during the critical final phase of the war and the immediate post-Armistice period.
Vecchiollo served in the rank of Private and sustained no recorded wounds or injuries in action. His service was part of the broader effort of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), which supported Allied operations on the Western Front.
He was honorably discharged on March 10, 1919.
Life After Service
Following his military service, Vecchiollo returned to Rye, where he became a long-time resident and worked for many years as a groundskeeper at the Apawamis Club. He remained in this position for over twenty-seven years, becoming a familiar presence within the community.
He married Lucy Inglese (English) in Rye in 1919, and together they raised a large family. Several of his sons would go on to serve in the United States military during the Second World War, continuing the family’s tradition of service.
He was a member of the Church of the Resurrection in Rye and also belonged to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Port Chester, reflecting his continued connection to fellow veterans.
Michael Vecchiollo died on December 8, 1944, at his home in Rye, New York, at the age of 53.
He was survived by his wife, Lucy Vecchiollo; his children; and extended family, including his father, Anthony Vecchiollo, and his brother Daniel.