BERTETTI, DOMENIC Dec 23, 1944 age 35 KIA Belgium

DOMENIC BERTETTI, b. 1909 Iron Mt., Michigan d. Dec. 23, 1944 Killed in Action Belgium

1^st Lt. Platoon Leader O-1302261 Army 335^th Inf Reg 84^th Inf Div

 

Buried Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium

Parents: Peter & Margaret (Ozello) formerly Pietro & Margaretta

Sibling: Martha Catherine (Pritchard), Mary Susan (Thomas, Terpening)
Spouse: Helen Romayne Ewing
 
This is the only Redford teacher killed in the war. Ironically, perhaps not, he was head of ROTC.

The parents left about Italy about 1903 to join family who had previously immigrated to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (mining country)., about 1903. They Americanized their names and that of their daughters. The son had the name of Margaret’s father. It was probably a hard life not only as a miner but living in the far northern area. Peter died in 1922; Margaret, who was living with daughter Mary in Iron Mt, died in 1942. The Italians inhabiting the northside of the city of Iron Mountain come from the same 3 pockets of Italy, such as Piedmonte  the home of the Ozello family. The newly discovered iron mines offering jobs drew them to head for the cold north. Italian immigration here follows the usual pattern of ‘barasa’, or chain migration, applicable in my family also.
 

 

Unable to find enlistment records for Bertetti, I assume he joined the year he left Redford, 1942. He shows up in Army Troop Transport records in 1930 at Fort McDowell on Angel Island in California going to Manila. McDowell was the nation’s only overseas processing post between the wars; the only bases the U.S. had overseas were in the Pacific.
 



Helen Ewing

RHS 1942

Domenic was a high school teacher in Detroit, at Redford in the Health Dept. from 1937 to 1942. He was also the director of the ROTC.  In 1941 he married Helen Ewing in Henry Co., Ohio. Born in Penn., she lived in Ohio where she worked as a stenographer, employment choice for so many women of the era. Both were 32 years of age.

In 1937 he becomes RHS Director of Reserve Officers Training Corps until 1942 when he goes into active military service.

The 335^th Inf, 84^th Inf Div arrives in England 1^st Oct 1944. They landed on Omaha Beach Nov 1944 and moved into Holland where they entered combat with an attack on Geilenkirchen. On Dec 18 the Division moved into Belgium to help stem the German winter offensive, the Battle of the Bulge. On Dec 23 the unit was deployed in the general vicinity of Marche-en-Femenne; most of the action centered on defense of Rochefort.

Though the internet I was able to locate Domenic's niece who never knew him but heard stories from her mother. I shared the information I had and she in turn sent me the photos of his family. Perhaps now anyone else interested in remembering Domenic can more easily learn about his life.