Rogliano, Aldo T.

Description

Aldo T. Rogliano was born March 7, 1925 in Tuckahoe, New York son of Alfred and Nancy Rogliano. He had two brothers Francis and Joseph and two sisters Rose and Rita. In Rye his family lived at Highland Hall and were members of the Church of the Resurrection.

Aldo was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1942. At RHS he played baseball and footbal and was manager of the basketball team. He enlisted in 1943 and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. See Marine Muster Rolls

Al enlisted in the Marines at age 17 and was assigned to Headquarters Company, Third Battalion, 25th Marines 4th Marine Division, the first Marine division to go directly into combat from the United States. Having obtained the rank of Sergeant, Al served on Saipan, Tinian, the Marshall Islands and finally, in The Battle for Iwo Jima where he was wounded after landing with the first wave of Marines to hit the beach on February 19, 1945.

Unfortunately for the landing force, the planners at Pearl Harbor had completely misjudged the situation that would face Gen. Schmidt’s Marines. The beaches had been described as “excellent” and the thrust inland was expected to be “easy.”

In reality, after crossing the beach, the Marines were faced with 15 ft-high (4.6 m) slopes of soft black volcanic ash. This ash allowed for neither a secure footing nor the construction of foxholes to protect the Marines from hostile fire. However, the ash did help to absorb some of the fragments from Japanese artillery.

Though ultimately victorious, the American victory at Iwo Jima had come at a terrible price. According to the Navy Department Library, “the 36-day assault resulted in more than 26,000 American casualties, including 6,800 dead.

Al was awarded the Purple Heart and his division also won two Presidential Unit Citations.

After the war, Al married Elizabeth (Bettie) Fehrs Rogliano in June, 1948. The couple began their long and happy life together in Syracuse, NY, where Al attended Syracuse University

After his graduation, Al began his career in Publishing where he worked the next fifty years, earning himself a place in Who’s Who in America.
The couple lived for many years in Stamford, CT. As charter members of the Roxbury Swim Club. Al, an avid and accomplished tennis player, showed his mettle on the court earning many awards and trophies.

The couple moved to California and then to Florida, with a final move to Unionville, CT to live with their daughter and her husband, under whose care, and with the aid of his other children, he died peacefully July 18, 2007.

Al loved his family mightily.
He lived his life with grace and good humor. He was loved. His kind and gentle spirit will be missed.

At the time of his death Al was survived by his loving wife of nearly 60 years, Bettie (Fehrs) Rogliano and his five children, Susan (Jim) Short ley of Unionville, Betsy Dyer of Milford, Guy (Karen) Rogliano of Shelton, Barbara Tracy of East Windsor, and Robert (Susan) Rogliano of Stamford.

Nine grandchildren; Michael Short ley, Alison Hannan, Jennifer Dyer, Justin Rogliano, Megan Rogliano, Jamie Rogliano, Lauren Tracy, Tyler Tracy and Catherine Rogliano also survive him as well as two great-grandchildren, James Hannan and Julia Hannan. Al also leaves a sister, Rita Oliver of Acapulco, Mexico.

from obituary Published in Stamford Advocate on July 20, 2007