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Written by Born in Leghorn, Italy, Sepember 1, 1903, his parents were Alphoni Donnarumma and Benilde Corsini. He was employed on a ship bringing immigrants to the United States from Italy and when the ship docked at the port of New York, he jumped from the ship and swam ashore where his uncle was waiting for him. He then hid out with his relatives while he learned to speak English.
He later enlisted in the United States Army and was able to obtain his American citizenship. He served in the Artillery Corps from December 27, 1943 to April 1946. From June 1946 to October 1947 he served in the Army as a Captain.
He married Diana Mary Chouinardin, who was born July 15, 1896 in New Hampshire, in 1932 in Massachusetts and they had three children, Delores, Leopold Joseph Jr., and Donald Joseph (who was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts on Septemeber 7, 1937.
Leopold Sr. died at the Veterans Hospital in Coral Gables, Florida, on November 20, 1955 and was buried in Arlington National Cemeteryon November 28, 1955. His wife, Diana, died on November 7, 1980 and was buried with him.
Leopold was a proud veteran of World War II. He tried hard to forget that he was Italian and often told people that he was an American who just happened to have been born in Italy.
Information proudly submitted by Rose Donnarumma, October 1997.
DONNARUMMA, LEOPOLD
CAPT ORD DEPT USA
DATE OF BIRTH: 09/01/1903
DATE OF DEATH: 11/20/1955
BURIED AT: SITE 974
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard