D Allessandro, Alfred

Description

Umberto “Alfred” D’Allesandro was born on September 10, 1925, in Bronxville, New York, to Esther M McCarty, age 23, and Umberto Alfredo D’Alessandro, age 32.

He had one sister, Patricia, and in Rye his family lived at 9 Cornell Place. Alfred was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1944.

Alfred enlisted in the U.S. Army on February 26, 1944, in Fort Dix, New Jersey, during World War II. He was 18 years old. He served as a private with CO. C, 289th Infantry Regiment, 75th Infantry Division.

The 75th Infantry Division arrived in Britain, 22 November 1944; headquarters having arrived on 2 November 1944. After a brief training program, the division landed at Le Havre and Rouen, 13 December, and bivouacked at Yvetot on the 14th.

When the Von Rundstedt (The Battle of the Bulge) offensive broke in the Ardennes, the 75th was rushed to the front and entered defensive combat, 23 December 1944, alongside the Ourthe River, advanced to the Aisne River, and entered Grandmenil, 5 January 1945.

The division relieved the 82d Airborne Division along the Salm River, 8 January, and strengthened its defensive positions until 17 January when it attacked, taking Vielsalm and other towns in the area.

Alfred was hospitalized for frostbite as a result of weeks of exposure to sub zero temperatures that occured during the battle

Alfred was honorably discharge July 26, 1945.

He married Evelyn Waters May 7, 1954 in Greenwich , CT. Umberto Alfred D’Allesandro died on July 3, 2006, in Ridgefield, Connecticut, when he was 80 years old.