Strozza, Michael

Description

Joseph (Giuseppe) Strozza was born on March 26, 1898, in Barile, in the province of Potenza, Italy. He immigrated to the United States as a child in 1907, arriving in New York with his mother and brother to join his father, who had already established the family in Rye, New York.

He grew up in Rye as part of a large Italian immigrant family, with multiple siblings born in the community. By the time of the First World War, he was a young man firmly rooted in Rye, residing at 20 Meadow Street.

World War I Service

Strozza entered military service on April 18, 1918, when he enlisted at Fort Slocum, New York, in the United States Army. He was initially assigned to Company F of the 1st Replacement Regiment, Engineers, stationed at Washington Barracks, D.C., where soldiers were organized and trained before deployment.

He was later transferred to the 116th Engineers, a unit engaged in critical engineering operations in support of American forces on the Western Front. Engineer units were responsible for constructing roads and bridges, maintaining supply lines, building defensive works, and often operating in forward areas under dangerous conditions.

Strozza served overseas in France from June 13, 1918, to December 20, 1918, participating in the active combat phase of the war during the final Allied offensives. Contemporary accounts note that he was exposed to gas during his service, a common hazard of trench warfare, though his official record does not list wounds. He recovered and returned home after the war, wearing the overseas service chevron that marked his time abroad.

He served in the rank of Private and was honorably discharged on January 6, 1919.

Life After Service

Following his military service, Strozza remained in Rye, where he built his life and career. He married Josephine Groglio in 1927, and together they raised a family in the community.

He worked for many years as a roofer, representing the skilled trades that supported the growth and maintenance of the region’s homes and infrastructure.

Strozza was a parishioner of the Church of the Resurrection in Rye and remained closely connected to both his family and the local Italian-American community throughout his life.

Joseph Strozza died on November 6, 1974, in Rye, New York, at the age of 76.

He was survived by his wife, Josephine Strozza; his son, Stephen J. Strozza of Harrison; his daughter, Mrs. Paul (Barbara) Gerardi of Port Chester; his sisters, including Mary, Angela, and Katherine; and eight grandchildren.