ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This story is compiled from many sources: family furnished information, histories, memoirs, and newspapers; the greater portion, however, is culled from official Navy Department records of Donald Francis Antonacci. It reflects the totality of events Donald participated in or lived through during a life that ended only too soon; from his childhood experiences as a resident of St. Agnes Home and School for Boys (Sparkill, NY), as a budding teenager, to his late teenage years as a young Sailor, culminating in completing a military career of over 21 years in the service of his country, including being awarded the Purple Heart Medal for his wounds from combat service in Vietnam.

While this story is lovingly dedicated to Donald, it also includes his four Brothers because of the love they shared for

one another, forever interrupted until the hereafter by the untimely loss of their dear brother Donald.

Donald

Robert John Ralph Joseph

Special thanks are extended especially to John Antonacci who exerted much effort and energy in his endeavor to have this record made of Donald’s service to his country. His forceful efforts and resolute determination were also reflected in his following through to ensure this tribute was written about his beloved Brother Donald. He promptly and thoroughly answered my numerous inquiries, sending any and all documents and pictures requested. Thanks also to Joseph Antonacci (my former classmate and fellow Marine) for locating his brother Donald’s personal records that contained a treasure trove of important military information and documentation. Without the support of these two men in particular, this story could not have been told.

Wherever possible, all documents have been checked against official sources to verify dates, unit and rate designations, and names of Navy Posts, Ships, and Stations. There may be errors in these narratives, for which I apologize in advance. Memory, especially at an advanced age, is often a fragile thing. In addition to sources and references shown in appropriate places, credit is also given to the following invaluable sources to which I referred:

“Names On Our Land, Hardly a Trace Remains of Orphanage,” Peter Krell,

History Editor, Our Town, July 12, 2004.

“Sparkill Dominican’s—100 Years of Caring,” by James E. Merna,

The Journal-News, Nyack, NY, December 16, 1984.

“An Unabridged Unofficial Dictionary for Marines,” compiled by Glenn B. Knight.

A myriad of U.S. Navy and Veteran Web Sites for histories and ships pictures.

“Tappan Zee, Math = F.,” Rockland Review, Friday, July 11, 2003.

Memorandums and Letters from John Antonacci.

Memoranda “Navy Terms and Trivia,” source unknown.

Finally, this story is not only In Memory of Donald Francisco Vincenzo Antonacci for his service to his country and his deeds of valor, but also In Memory of his Brothers-In-Arms from St. Agnes who also served their country in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, whose deeds may or may not have been recorded or recognized, but who met the call of duty when duty itself was more than was required.

GFM 8/18/04

DONALD FRANCIS ANTONACCI:

A ‘HOUSES KID,” A PATRIOT, AND A HERO

1937 – 1990

By Gerald F. Merna

Mustang 1stLt USMC (Ret.)

*Bio last page

Donald Francis Antonacci

OMC U. S. Navy (Retired)

SN 482 77 79

Vietnam, 1970-1971

Background:

Through a mutual friend, John Antonacci, a retired New York City Police Department (NYPD) Detective whom I haven’t seen in almost fifty years (though his oldest Brother Joseph was a high school classmate), contacted me about a matter very near and dear to his heart. Aware of some help I gave our mutual friend in putting together a fairly complete record of her late husband’s World War II Navy service, he wanted my help to do the same for his late brother, Donald Francisco Vincenso Antonacci, (Donald for short hereinafter).

John knew to some extent his brother Donald had performed heroic deeds while in the Navy and serving in Vietnam, but he wanted specific details and verification, so that other members of his family and his friends would know it as well. In fact, he wanted a “record” to be left behind to future generations of the Antonacci Family.

To begin this undertaking I helped John obtain Donald’s official Navy Records in order that we could research and verify Donald’s entire Navy career of some 21 plus years so that a complete and accurate record could be made. We sent letters to the National Personnel Records Center, the national repository for most military records, requesting copies of Donald’s records. When they were received, some copies of records were blurred and difficult to read, while others were missing, particularly copies of citations for military decorations earned by Donald (though the awards were clearly listed on his separation documents). Fortunately, enlisting the aid of another brother, Joseph, we learned that almost all of the missing records were in a small box of Donald’s belongings that until now had been almost ignored. These included more detailed records and pictures, including the missing Citations from U. S. and Vietnamese authorities for medals earned by Donald. From this, and John’s responses to my questions, I was able to glean a great deal of additional information that is hopefully detailed in this story.

Using the telephone and email I continued to query John for additional information and requested copies of other documents about Donald in the family’s possession. So we had very good success in obtaining sufficient information for this story, buttressing it with additional information obtained from the Internet and other sources. The Internet was particularly useful in obtaining information concerning the various Navy posts, stations, and ships Donald served on. The more I researched and learned the more this undertaking literally became a “labor of love.”

In order to really know and understand Donald, by necessity, this story requires some deviation and diversion, as well as a discussion of other background information. To know and perhaps understand Donald in his latter years, I felt you also needed to know him in his formative years. His upbringing as a very young man would lay the groundwork for his future perhaps more than someone who enjoyed a “normal” family environment. You also need to know something about his family, friends, Nuns, Priests, Counselors and others, in order to understand the totality of the circumstances and surroundings that affected and influenced his growth, development, and accomplishments, including his several “missteps” at the beginning of his Navy Career as well, leading up to his bravery in combat during the Vietnam War that made him a Hero, and finally his untimely death at the very young age of 53.

What is a Hero?

A Hero can be anything from a person successfully fighting cancer or some other serious disease, to a single Mom or Dad laboring to raise their children morally and properly despite a partner and the lack of worldly goods. (Some people mistakenly consider talented athletes “heroes” for their athletic skills alone, while many others, including many athletes themselves, do not). There are of course many categories of “heroes,” and everyone may not agree with some or any of them. During and after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, we have witnessed more than ever the heroism of Firefighters, Police, Emergency Responders, and so many others who sacrificed their own lives to save innocent victims from that carnage.

In the military, a hero is also someone who performs a wide variety of “heroic acts,” from giving his/her own life to save one or more of their buddies, or putting their own life at risk to defeat an enemy about to do harm to their own troops. It can also be an act that doesn’t ever require firing a weapon, as was the case on Saipan, Marianas Islands, 7 July 1944 (World War II), when PFC Harold Christ Agerholm, a 19 year old Marine from Wisconsin, commandeered an ambulance and single-handedly loaded and evacuated forty-five wounded men through the heaviest fighting to a field hospital in the rear, out of harms way. Hours later, while aiding the wounded, he was killed by a Japanese sniper. He was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor.

What people who perform heroic acts have in common however, is having or displaying courage. They can be called bold, brave, fearless, gallant, unafraid, valiant or valorous. In a slang vernacular, many of us might call them “gutsy,” or even “plucky.” The definition I feel comes closest to describing what Donald accomplished is close to a dictionary definition of “Hero:” “A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his life.”

I feel that anyone who knew (or reads this story about) Donald would agree that his “feats of courage and nobility of purpose” gave ample proof that he indeed is a hero. They should also be able to see that Donald’s significant accomplishments and heroism were sown in the seeds of his upbringing and faith. Thus this is an account of an extremely talented and courageous young man who, like many of his time, had everything against him and yet rose far above it all.

The Early Years, 1937 – 1955:

Donald was born on November 7, 1937 in the City of New York, to Carmen Mayo Antonacci (also known as “Honey” Kelly) and Joseph William Antonacci. Like anyone else, Donald had no idea what life had in store for him. But he “played the hand he was dealt” by rising far above his modest beginnings and the breakup of his family to become both a very decent human being and one of significant accomplishments.

The early plight of the five Antonacci brothers is similar to that of so many other children who were orphaned or abandoned by one or more of their parents and deprived of what many considered “a normal upbringing in a loving family.” Like many other families, including my own, it was not unusual that a large number of troubled families with as many as five or six siblings (six Merna’s, five each Altomore's, Vincent's, Oryghya's, and Anonacci’s, and three each O’Rourke’s, Feldman’s and Molerio’s) were sent to religious or similar homes as a result of referral cases from the courts and various public social service agencies, including the Catholic Charities organization. Many of these families had literally given up or abandoned their children on the streets of New York until some social, church or other organization found shelter for them. In the case of the Antonacci children, it was because their father abandoned his sons, and their mother, who found herself in dire circumstances, and forced to find another home for her five sons.

In 1941, at the very tender age of 4, Donald, together with his four brothers, Joseph age 9, Robert age 8, John age 5, and Ralph, only 18 months old, were all placed in St. Agnes Home and School for Boys, Sparkill,

St. Agnes Home and School for Children.
(Picture from cover of Program of “St. Agnes Home Third Annual Building Fund Dinner Dance,
Singer’s Hotel, Spring Valley, N.Y., Saturday, March 1, 1975”)

Rockland County, New York. (The terms St. Agnes Home and School for Children and St. Agnes Convent are oftentimes used as well. Hereinafter I will refer to it simply as St. Agnes). St. Agnes was normally used to house and educate young men of high school age (though at one time it also cared for young girls), fortunately for the Antonacci brothers (and others); they were also able to attend elementary school there as well.1

Except for the youngsters who took their training right at St. Agnes, called “shop” (manual or other skilled technical training classes such as printing, carpentry, electrical work, etc.), most of the “House’s Kids,” including Donald and his brothers, attended Tappan Zee High School (TZHS) in Piermont, the next town over. (Many St. Agnes “House’s Kids” also spent their elementary school years at two other (Rockland County) Catholic institutions, St. Dominic’s Convent in Blauvelt, NY and St. Agatha’s Home in Nanuet, NY).

The five Antonacci brothers would remain at St. Agnes until they graduated from TZHS, which was seven long years for Joseph (1948), eight for Robert (1949), 11 for John (1954), and 12 for Donald (1955). Brother Ralph left St. Agnes before graduating, but later received his high school diploma from Flushing High School in Long Island, New York.

Since the Antonacci and Merna brothers were approximately the same ages, they were in one or more of the same high school classes, played together, went “bean picking” together (less than .50 cents a bushel), caddied at the local golf club (less than $10 for 18 holes), hiked to the “ol 40-foot swimmin’ hole” each summer (free, not counting blisters), and competed on the same ball fields. All this while domiciled in the “attic” (top floor) and dormitories on lower floors in “The House.” (Note: some were also fortunate to live in several detached “cottages” near the Nun’s cemetery).

According to Donald’s Brother John, the Antonacci Brothers “had to grow up tough after that,” and the swaggering Donald oftentimes thought he was a fighter. On more than one occasion they found themselves “jumping to the defense of each other.”

When John provided the below photograph of the five Antonacci Brothers, he said that the occasion was Easter Sunday in 1941, during a visit by their Mother “Honey” to St. Agnes. Shown in the top row are Robert and Joseph, and in the bottom row are Ralph, Donald and John. Directly behind the brothers in this picture, though not very clear, is the St. Agnes Cemetery, with the grave markers of 330 Dominican Sisters, including 10 Mothers, three children, one woman, and a former Convent chauffeur who died in 1936. The building on the right was the Greenhouse.

The Five Antonacci Brothers, 1941
(Photo Courtesy of John Antonacci)

John also said “this is the only photo of the five Antonacci brothers taken together.” In addition to the Fedora Hats popular in the 1940’s, note the Easter Bunnies held by the youngest children. John’s note explained: “My Mom always brought us our clothing, bunnies, coloring books, etc. She never missed a Sunday.” 2

“Never missed a Sunday” is quite a tribute to Mrs. Antonacci, as her frequent and loving visits were beyond the norm for the majority of children placed in either St. Dominic’s Convent, Blauvelt, New York (another Dominican Home for boys and girls up through the eighth grade) or St. Agnes though Mrs. Antonacci could not care for her family in her own home, for reasons beyond her control, she never “abandoned” her five sons and in fact, to her great credit, kept in extremely close contact with them.

But Donald and his brothers survived their humble beginnings and many years as “House’s Kids.” Donald would graduate from high school, join the Navy for what turned out to be 21-year career, during which he got off to a slow start, but settled down to go on and earn decorations and awards for distinct and heroic feats of courage in combat, representing his country in an exemplary manner.

“HOUSE’S KIDS”

The term “House’s Kid” was appropriately given to any boy who was placed in the custody of the Dominican Nuns of St. Agnes.3 Since its inception, thousands of children, through no fault of their own, for the reasons mentioned above, were housed, educated and supervised by Catholic Priests, Dominican Sisters, and lay coaches and counselors. Some of the counselors were themselves former “House’s Kids.” The duration of time for those placed at St. Agnes ranged from as little as a year to as many as ten or more. Up until the 1950’s,most boys at St. Agnes were orphans or those with only one parent, and most were from New York City. In the late 1950’s and 1960’s the population began a steady decline from a high of 600 to about 300.

At St. Agnes all of us lived in what was referred to as the “attic,” the top floor of the very large building shown in the pictures on page 3 and below. The building itself was both affectionately and irreverently referred to as “The House.” It was thus with great pride and affection therefore that all who found themselves residents of St. Agnes were, are, and to this date continue to be referred to as “House’s Kids.” Indeed, over the years and even today there has been a variety of paraphernalia produced proudly proclaiming, “I’m A House’s Kid.” Many of its former residents, now adults in mid-to-late life, proudly wear or display these proclamations on caps, sweaters, tee shirts, jackets and bumper stickers. There is even an annual reunion picnic in either Sparkill or Piermont that attracts 75 or more former residents each year.

“House’s Kids” never tire of telling (bragging?) how they had to walk almost 4 to 5 miles every day, one way of course, from “The House” at Sparkill to Tappan Zee High School in Piermont. Contrary to what some believe, TZHS in Piermont3 did not get its name from the Tappan Zee Bridge as TZHS was in existence long before that Bridge was built.

St. Agnes Home and School for Boys, Sparkill (Rockland Co., New York) 4
(Photo from Post Card 7713 by J. Britton, Tappan, NY)

Piermont High School Building, built 1898 to 1900,
Named Tappan Zee High School in 1901

(Photo courtesy of Rockland Review, Friday, July 11, 2003)

St. Agnes as a “boot camp?”

Having been both a “Blauvelt Kid” (St. Dominic’s) and “Houses Kid” (St. Agnes), I can only liken the shock orphaned or abandoned young boys such as the Antonacci’s, Merna’s and others experienced upon arrival at these Catholic “homes.” It had to be similar to the greeting Marine recruits receive on their first day at the famed Parris Island, SC (PISC) “boot camp.” During my time there (1947) we were “greeted” with the not so friendly admonition: “There are only two ways off this Island, graduating from boot camp or leaving in a pine box.” While that may sound a bit harsh, it was in fact quite close to reality; at least we all believed it to be true. PISC’s earnest reproof today is more subtle and “politically correct,” as the overhead sign on the Base that greets new recruits see upon their arrival proclaims that PISC is the place “Where the difference begins.” This slogan certainly would have been very apropos for “House’s Kid’s” of any era; for sure it was “where the difference began” for Donald Francis Antonacci.

Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC (Photo by Gerald F. Merna)

I used the PISC boot camp example above for another good reason, and that is because so many “House’s Kids” joined the Marines after leaving St. Agnes. These included Brothers Joseph and Robert Antonacci, Frank Boyle, Richard Feldman, Philip Greco, Halprin, Nicholas Huha, William “Sarge” Karris, Brothers David and Louis Kee, William Lehman, Hugh McAvinue, Brothers Gerald, Jim and Richard Merna, Malachy Murphy, Donald Hennessy and many other “old timers” of World War II vintage. 5

Most of these “House’s Kids” considered “boot camp” a breeze compared to what they had experienced at St. Dominic’s, St. Agatha’s or St. Agnes (especially if they were in two or more of them).

Part of that “experience” began the first few days and weeks at both “Homes,” and it was not what you would call a “friendly” occasion. Unless you were “big” or athletically talented, you were “initiated” on day one, (though the words “bullied” and “intimidated” easily come to mind) by older and/or bigger boys, who no doubt received the same treatment when they arrived, and now it was their turn.

And I don’t remember any “House’s Kids” wanting the option the Marine Recruits had, i.e., to “depart in a pine box,” so it was easy to choose the option of leaving by “finishing (high) school. But they did have other choices as well. These included being adopted (few were), reunited with other family members (some were), or attaining the age of age 17 or 18 when they could go out on their own (most did). One option for the truly daring (or those running from other dire consequences) was “running away.” Several “attempted” this, and most were either “caught” or “surrendered,” and a very few never returned.

Since St. Agnes had no gates, guards, fences (except around the playing field), or bridges like those at PISC, (it wasn’t called Parris “Island” by accident); House’s Kids could simply “take off,” any time, committing the civilian version of the military’s AWOL or Desertion offenses. Except that for the residents of St. Agnes we’re talking about boys in their early teens. This serious option of “running away” was surprisingly selected by quite a few, and at least one of the “penalties” if you got caught was getting a “baldy” haircut. (Heck, we got one of those for volunteering to go to Parris Island and had to pay for it as well)! 6

“Role Models”: The Sisters of Sparkill:

Although not every Dominican Nun was equally loved by their charges, the overwhelming majority of Sisters were not only held in great esteem, but also served as great “role models” for the mothers most “House’s Kids” did not have, and probably for many who did! Indeed, some of the Nuns became so popular that former “House’s Kids” would return time after time just to visit with them, especially at annual picnics, midnight masses at Christmas, and on other special occasions; many of us kept in contact by phone and mail as well.

The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill Joe Wiska, John Antonacci, Sr. James Francis.

(Photo’s courtesy of Dominican Sisters of Sparkill) April 16, 2001

(Photo courtesy of John Antonacci)

The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill (175 Route 340, Sparkill, NY 10976) recently sent out an announcement that they are building a “Motherhouse” and adding a 4-story addition to the Dominican Convent “that will provide both assisted and nursing care for the retired and infirm Sisters. Addressing us, their alumni, they said, “You, as a St. Agnes Boy/”House’s Kid” have your own memories of living here in Sparkill and are part of the history of St. Agnes Home and School founded from the 1880’s.”

:
Bill Lehman, Dominican Sister, Rudy Loyola, Sr. Ann Catherine (R.) and Nuns
Jerry & Dot Merna, Linda Merna Figura cut the Cake

50th Anniversary of the St. Agnes Alumni Association, August 24, 1996.
(Photos by Gerald F. Merna)

It is safe to say that many “House’s Kids” will be supporting the almost 400 elderly Nun’s in this worthwhile endeavor, many of whom are now in their 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. There’s also no doubt that Donald Antonacci would not only have approved of this, but would have fully supported it as well. I say this for many reasons, including this moving account about Donald provided by his brother John:

“When Donald was at St. Agnes he played in the band (under) Sister Marie. He sang in the choir and was an altar boy. He worked in the men’s ref (area occupied by male employees of St. Agnes) and his “boss” was Sister William Vincent.7 They (Donald and Sr. William Vincent) built up a friendship. Donald took her name “Vincent” for his confirmation name (thus the Vincenso mentioned on page one). He was also excellent in art and sculpturing; one year while in High School he won first prize for his Halloween window painting in Piermont.

“In 1969, when I was upstate, I visited St. Agnes. And you know how your car “acts as a magnet” (steering you back to St. Agnes); you have to stop to see the Nun’s. We had a great visit; we saw Sister Anne Catherine, Sister James Francis, and Sister William Mary (see pictures above). Before we left we also saw Sister William Vincent. After asking about our Mother was doing, the first words she said were “How is Donald?” I told her he was in Vietnam. As we were about to leave, she took her rosary beads from her belt around her waist, handed them to me, and said, “Please give these to Donald.”

“Sister William Vincent died while Donald was still in Vietnam. I made it to her funeral that was held during one of the worst blizzards to ever hit New York. They couldn’t even dig any graves in the cemetery, so she had to be buried at a later date. Nothing, not even that storm would keep me from that funeral. I did that for my brother Donald. Before Donald died I went to visit him in California and delivered Sister William Vincent’s rosary beads to him. We then spent ten wonderful days together before he died.”

“Role Model”: Coach James J. Faulk

Coach (Col., USMCR Ret.) James J. Faulk, 1908 - 1985

(Picture courtesy Donald Dillon)

St. Agnes also had a dominant male role model for the missing fathers of Donald and the other “House’s Kids;” someone almost everyone looked up to, though not all in the same way. This person played many roles in their lives; the major ones being athletic director, coach, counselor, and some would say a very strict disciplinarian. This particular man was James J. Faulk, who out of both respect and affection, was called “Coach.” (Unlike today’s culture, where regardless of your age, almost everyone feels free to either call you by your first name, while wait staffs in most restaurants refer to both young and senior citizen customers alike as “You Guys.”) No one dared call Coach Faulk anything but “Coach,” at least not out loud.

Coach’s wife Betty (“Mrs. Faulk” to us), a registered nurse, not only endured but also shared her husband’s dedication and care of “his kid’s.” While they had no children as a result of their marriage, in reality they had “thousands” represented by the “House’s Kids” they made their own! It also goes without saying the high regard the Faulk's had for the Nuns and Priests of St. Agnes.

Coach’s roles as model and disciplinarian greatly influenced the adult lives of most of us. Many of us to this day credit him for not only instilling needed discipline at a critical time in our lives, but as a result of his guidance and training, giving us a moral compass as well. Whether we knew it or not at the time, he also gave us, by example more than anything else, the ethical and mental characteristics that would improve not only our lives, but also our love of God and sense of patriotism for the Country we lived in. These characteristics would ultimately affect not only our lives and careers, but also those of our children. There is little doubt they affected the character of Donald Francis Antonacci immeasurably.

We “lost” Coach for a few years when he answered another calling, that being to defend our country when it was attacked, by joining the United States Marine Corps during World War II. His frequent letters from the Pacific Islands he fought on, as well as those from the “House’s Kids” fighting in all of the military services, were printed in a “Newsletter” that endures to this day. One of his letters in the “Second Newsletter,” dated “April 24, 1944 South Pacific,” led off with what would become his “trademark greeting”: “To the Fightingest Boys in the World” (see extract below). Newsletters8 weren’t the same without a message from him, and when duty allowed, he never missed the opportunity. He truly loved his “House’s Kids” and it was no accident he returned to St. Agnes after his war time service in World War II to resume the very same duties he performed before the war, and probably for the same modest remuneration.

I only wish space would allow printing this letter from “Coach” in full, because even this brief excerpt depicts the mutual love that existed between this man and his “boys;” his spirit, determination, dedication, and enthusiasm jumps off the page as one reads it. His remarks also give a good sense of just how important these Newsletters were to him and all of us. (I still feel the same “emotion” re-reading this excerpt).

During W.W. II, almost every one who joined the military would be sure to visit St. Agnes after their recruit training, while on leave between assignments, or upon their discharge. The following excerpt from page 16 of an early 1945 Newsletter written by a former “House’s Kid” then a “GI” fighting in Germany, both complements and corroborates the Coach’s excerpted letter above in many ways:

During World War II this legendary Coach of St. Agnes, now Major James J. Faulk, had a chance encounter on the pacific island of Guadalcanal with one of his former St. Agnes boys, then Master Sergeant Carl Trezini. They conceived the idea of building a gymnasium to serve as a memorial to honor the St. Agnes boys who had given their lives for their country.

(Cover Page by Dom Yozzo from W.W.II St. Agnes Newsletter)

Shortly after the war the St. Agnes Alumni Association Newsletter (shown above) announced the idea for the gymnasium. Donations poured in, much of it from the paychecks of current and former “House’s Kids,” many of them still on active duty or returning from the fighting on Pacific beaches and islands, serving aboard ships and submarines, and in the air, in all of the military services during WWII. The fund was also the beneficiary of one alumni’s $10,000 GI Insurance. The gym was successfully built in 1954 and boasted having one of the finest basketball courts in Rockland County at that time.

(Photo courtesy of Gerald F. Merna)

The Plaque pictured above, was dedicated in honor of those “House’s Kids” who made the supreme sacrifice in World War II and Korea, and was proudly hung in the new St. Agnes gym. At the time of the dedication it had 39 names. Unfortunately, the list of those making the supreme sacrifice would swell to 55, including our brother George.

Serving as St. Agnes’ athletic director and counselor both before and after World War II, Coach Faulk is credited with shaping “his kids” into productive citizens. One former resident (1940 to 1948) said, “this man (Faulk) was an inspiration to us kids…and…the “major reason why most of the St. Agnes kids lived decent lives.”9 Many “House’s Kids” would go on to become Priests, lawyers, doctors, dentists, business and government executives, career military NCOs and Officers, and a variety of other successful careers. Donald Francis Antonacci and his four brothers were among the many to do so, with careers second to none.

Following are several pertinent excerpts from four post-W.W. II Newsletters that are striking in their similarity to those published by the World War II generation:

Extract from July 1990 Newsletter

Extract from December 1977 Newsletter

Extract from July 2003 Newsletter

Extract from Spring 2004 Newsletter

Contrast these four postwar newsletter excerpts with the one from the war years and you will note their “style” and “content” is the same. While a variety of individuals, including Nuns, Counselors, and Teachers (and a few alumni) published the wartime newsletters, since its postwar inception almost 50 years ago, the St. Agnes Alumni Newsletter was published by one individual, Joe Rosen. With a little help from his friend Art Kingsley in his declining years, Rosen lovingly, painstakingly and devotedly composed, typed and mailed the newsletter two, three, and sometimes four times a year, while maintaining the constantly changing address base doing a great job answering all the letters or calls he received from alumni, including penning a short note in response to most of the letters he received.

Even the advent of the computer with its word processing program, Page Publisher or other contemporary newsletter tools hasn’t changed the Newsletters’ hunt n’ peck appearance or its content. It still contains tidbits of news from any and all alumni who drop even a brief note, and also includes death notices and illnesses of both Nuns and alumni. Oftentimes it has enough “typo’s” to make any English teacher blush, but not its readers. Our “Editor” literally follows the “KISS” rule (“Keep It Simple Stupid”). Everyone loves receiving it, and no one “complains” about anything, except perhaps that it’s not long enough. (If they complain too loudly, they may become the next “Editor”).

And there were always a couple of Rosen’s “corny little jokes” in most issues. They were always clean and good-natured, and gave us all a chuckle.10 When Rosen died, after being the “Temporary President” for over 50 years, another “old-timer” and World War II Veteran, Art Kingsley, “with a little help from his friend” (wife Gloria), both of whom had assisted Rosen when his health was failing, “picked up the flag” as the new Editor, and the St. AAA NL hasn’t missed a beat since. Only the destinations have changed; instead of sending it to “House’s Kids” on Pacific Islands, to ships at sea, or to troops in other war-torn areas of the globe such as Korea, Vietnam, and later the Persian Gulf. This served to “link” the newer generation to the “greatest generation.” Today it goes to many of the children and grandchildren of former “House’s Kids” serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other dangerous places around the world. I can’t emphasize enough how critical the Newsletter was and still is a “link to our roots.” Always of great interest to everyone concerned, it was (and is) unique in the love and remembrances it provides. Again, this criticality is aptly demonstrated in Coach Faulk’s above excerpted letter in the W.W.II newsletter.

For many years the cost of mailing the Newsletter was paid by donations. Only in recent years were alumni asked to “voluntarily send $3.00 a year for membership and (Newsletter) mailing costs.” Today it’s only $10.00, though many of us send more in annual donations for the postage and the charitable causes our association supports, including several alumni now priests serving foreign missionaries. If someone doesn’t have $10.00 or “forgets” to mail their “dues,” that’s not a problem; no one “bills” you and all alumni get it whether they send in their “dues” or not.11

There’s little doubt Donald Antonacci received his Newsletters during his 21+ years in the Navy, especially while he served aboard ship and in Vietnam Waters. He probably also enjoyed sharing them with his Vietnamese counterparts that he worked so closely with, just as many of us did in prior wars.

The End of St. Agnes Home and School for Boys:

For 72 years from 1905, St. Agnes cared for thousands of boys (and surprising to me I learned a small number of girls of all ages long before my time). In 1977, mounting costs and a freeze in public assistance forced St. Agnes to close its doors after 93 years of service. Former “House’s Kids” have complained that when the former school building (erected in 1919) was torn down, not even the class pictures on the hall walls were taken down. However, the Nun’s housing and St. Agnes’ Chapel survived the shutdown. A Senior Citizen housing complex (Thorpe Village) has been located for over 30 years on the former St. Agnes ball fields.

St. Agnes’ beautiful altar and choir loft (below), serves as a reminder to its former residents not only of the many Masses and services they attended, but also as a remembrance to those who would return each Christmas Eve for Midnight Mass. This was also a good time to “show off” your fancy duds, latest girl friend, and perhaps do a little “bragging” about your successes, real or imagined, since you left “the House.” But in truth the former “House’s Kids” really came to meditate on their time at St. Agnes, and to see the counselors and current “House’s Kids” which could have included brothers, cousins, and other family members. It was also an opportunity to say hello to the Nuns most knew so personally. It was an extra bonus if they could also meet former friends and classmates who were there for the same reasons.12

Altar of St. Agnes Chapel

Choir Loft at St. Agnes Chapel

(Photos courtesy of Gerald F. Merna)

THE UNITED STATES NAVY:

Off on the wrong foot:

Donald being Donald, nothing ever really came easy for him. He was something of a renegade, sometimes quick to ignore rules and do things his own way.  But he had so many other great qualities about him, especially a heart that was burning with a patriotic fervor. So at age 18 he left St. Agnes, found the nearest recruiting station, and on November 25, 1955, quietly became Seaman Donald Francis Antonacci, United States Navy.

During his first enlistment, sure enough, he started off on the wrong foot by going AWOL (absent without leave), not once, but several times! Not for unusually long periods, but enough to cause him some disciplinary problems. But he returned each time to face the consequences of both non-judicial punishment and two of the three lesser courts-martial before he finally "got his act together." Normally a start like this would be enough to end almost any military career; but “someone up there” was obviously looking after Donald, and the Navy also perceived something in him worth giving him that “second chance.” That decision turned out not only to be a “lucky break” for Donald, but a wise one for the Navy and our country as well. Perhaps we’ll never know why Donald started out the way he did.13 Like many of his fellow alumni, he undoubtedly asked himself many times what life really had in store for him. If he asked that out loud, the priests and nuns at St. Agnes probably dismissed most of the questions he asked of them as the typical fanciful flights and thoughts of a young man reaching for manhood.

As was the case at St. Agnes, as a young sailor Donald again had to learn to "live by his wits.” With his intellect he was able to complete a variety of difficult and technical training courses. In 1970 he was then assigned to his first of two tours of duty in Vietnam. This experience so affected him that between tours he volunteered for and was selected to attend the very formidable 35-week Vietnamese language course, which he successfully completed. On this second tour in 1971, the lone American on a Vietnamese riverboat, Donald successfully ingratiated himself with his counterparts, not only winning their respect and admiration, but also distinguishing himself in combat. After his Navy career, he checked off another of his life’s goals by not only earning his college degree, but doing it with honors. There are many who had the benefit of “a normal upbringing in a loving family” who cannot claim half of Donald’s accomplishments. So this is the story about what Donald accomplished notwithstanding false starts and other obstacles, some unavoidable, some of his own making..14

Donald’s official Navy records were requested and obtained from the National Personnel Records Center; members of Donald’s family provided other original documents. Copies of original documents, where possible, have been “scanned” to speak for themselves, without any editorializing, thus avoiding errors and/or misinterpretations. Where possible and known, credit is given for the photos or other documents provided.

VIETNAM WAR SERVICE

Designed by American architect and sculptor Maya Lin, the Vietnam Veterans

Memorial in Washington, D.C., was dedicated in 1982. It features a V-shaped black

Granite wall with the names of more than 58,000 Americans who were lost during

The Vietnam War (1959 – 1975) (Leo de Wys, Inc./Everett C. Johnson)

When Donald learned there was a war brewing in Vietnam, he wanted to be a part of it. As shown from Table 1 below, he served a total of two years, three months and 13 days in or around the Vietnam area of operations:

FROM TO DUTY STATION YRS/MOS/DAS RATE CUMUL SVC

11-12-70	11-06-71	Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Chief, Naval Advisory Group)	00-11-24	SF1	00-11-24
06-25-72	02-20-73	Arrive/Report/Serve, Saigon, Vietnam, (CMNAV)	00-07-25	HT1	01-09-19
03-30-73	09-24-73	Fleet Training Group, WESTPAC, Yokuska, Japan	00-05-24	HT1	02-03-13

(Table 1)

These maps will help identify some of the areas where Donald served in the Vietnam War as reflected in several of his citations and other documents that follow:

Prior to and between his two tours Donald successfully completed several very technical courses, not the least of which was the successful completion of an intensive 35-week foreign language curriculum where he mastered the Vietnamese language. Here’s a small sample of what Donald grappled with in learning this most difficult language:

miền Nam the South (the Mekong River Delta) miền Bắc the North (the Red River Delta).

A friend wants to know why you want to learn Vietnamese.  You answer:
Tại vì sang năm tôi định đi thăm Việt Nam.

While accomplishing this, Donald advanced from Seaman Apprentice to Chief Petty Officer. Along the way he became both an “American Patriot” and a Hero in the service of his country. He accomplished this by supporting and defending his country during twenty-one years of service in the United States Navy, including two tours of combat service in the Vietnam War where he earned a variety of personal heroism awards.

There is no better place to start than by the following excerpts from a few of the more interesting and pertinent family comments John Antonacci made in his various email responses to me. These not only provide personal insight about Donald, but also show John’s deep religious convictions and his unconditional love for his entire family. This, and his unrelenting search for all he can learn about Donald, leaves little doubt how much he loved and misses him.

12 May 2004

“Jerry, there was five of us, Joseph, Robert, John, Donald and Ralph. Sometime in 1941, after our father did a disappearing act, my mother, God Bless Her soul may she rest in peace, had to sell every stick of furniture in our house, and we all wound up at St. Agnes. Donald, Ralph and I wound up in the “Babies” section and Joe and Bob in the Little Side. The early stages of growing up at St. Agnes were easy, but as you progressed up through the higher grades it became brutal.

We all carry our scars, but some really never forgave or have never really dealt with the anger. We were very fortunate my mother always came to visit; she never missed a day in the 11 years I spent at St. Agnes.

She always had a home for us when we were allowed to go home during the Easter and Christmas Holiday. Joe graduated from college with the help of the GI Bill. While working, going to school and raising a family, he received a Teaching Degree and taught in the Ridgewood School District.

Bob, upon leaving the Marines went to France where he married his wife. He then came back to New York (City), Nyack, New Jersey and California, working hard doing very well for himself and his family. That’s what it’s all about, Family.

I was in the Army and after that I joined another great family, the New York Police Department (NYPD). I worked in patrol for eight years until I was promoted to Detective, where I worked for 16 years before retiring. I then went to work for the New York State Insurance Frauds Bureau as one of only five investigators covering the five boroughs of New York. After being promoted to senior investigator I had a massive heart attack with five bypasses. God was good to me, I’m a miracle. I had to retire on disability after 29 years in law enforcement.

Brother Ralph also served in the U. S. Army, following which he had a very successful career in Sales.

Donald, what a tough guy! He would never back down from anyone and as a result he sometime took some awful beatings. As his “bigger brother” sometimes I had to “take up his call to battle.” If I were losing he would always jump in and help me, or visa versa. He went into the Navy and I really didn’t see him that much. . I was very close to Joe and his family.

When Donald and I did get together it was always an “adventure.” He was my hero, and upon leaving the Navy, he graduated from college with honors and worked for the State of California getting jobs for servicemen as they were being discharged.”

When I sent John a copy of a newspaper interview about a former Marine who became an NYPD Police Officer at the age of 40, John replied as follows:

19 May 2004

“Nice article. A person going to the Police academy at age 40 is quite a feat. The average age in the Academy is 21. My oldest son John followed in my footsteps and is also a NYC Police Officer with about 13 years service. Today I sent you information my brother Joseph sent me about Donald. When you receive it, it will keep you very busy.”

“6 June 2004”

“It was nice to talk to both you and Dot via phone. I received more material from my brother Joe including photos of Donald I will send you during the week.

When I was in (Police) uniform I was a training officer for the new recruits when they graduated from the Police Academy. We trained them in the field to prepare them how to handle all types of emergency situations, how to fill out forms properly, how to make arrests, and also took them through court procedures. We also taught them to respect the people they have to protect.

I trained hundreds of young Police Officers and every once in awhile I read of some heroic deed they accomplished in the newspapers and feel good that I played a small part in their career. God Bless, John A.”

“24 June 2004

“We had no sisters, just the five boys. We all did all our time at St. Agnes. My father did a disappearing act leaving my mother with 5 children, and he would show up every 10 years, cause problems, and then disappear. This happened for about 40 years and I refused to speak to him for 60 years. He passed away at age 92.15

Joe graduated TZ in 1948, Bob in 1949, I graduated TZ 1954 (your brother Richard was in my class but I believe he graduated early.15a Donald graduated TZ in 1955 and Ralph graduated from Flushing HS.

I know my brothers Joe and Bob were in Korea, but they don’t talk about it. When Bob left the Marines he went to France where he lived for a while and married the girl he met before going to Korea. They have been married for over 50 years”.

My brother Jim and I met Donald’s Brother Bob in Korea in the winter of 1953. (We also have a brother Bob who served in the Navy in Korea, so these names can become confusing).

TSgt Jerry Merna, SSgt Bob Antonacci, Sgt Jim Merna
Three “House’s Kids” (Korea, January 1953)

SSgt Robert Antonacci, Korea, January 1953

(Photos by Gerald F. Merna)

DONALD F. ANTONACCI’S SERVICE SCHOOLS, TRAINING & RATINGS:

Donald joined the Navy on November 25, 1955 at 346 Broadway in New York City.16 For various

reasons, adjustment to Navy life didn’t come quickly or easily to Donald and he got off to somewhat of a "rocky start." While a few more specifics will necessarily be given further on in this story, at this point it is safe to say he went through an “attitude adjustment period,” serious enough to warrant disciplinary action by the Navy, but fortunately not substantial enough to damage his career.

The enlisted rating badge for Petty Officer Third Class and above consists of two parts. The chevrons indicate the pay grade (rate). Between the chevrons and the eagle is an insignia indicating the Sailor's job specialty (rating). Because Donald excelled in both academic training (language skills) and specialized technical training, during his career he earned and wore a variety of specialty ratings. His major ratings were Hull Technician, Optical Repairman, and Storekeeper, shown here:

Metalsmith	Hull Technician	Optical Repairman	Storekeeper	Damage Controlman
ME	HT	OM	SK	DC

Table 2 chronicles the formal training Donald received during his career, which qualified him for some of the ratings shown.

School Attended Rating Length Date

Damage Control, Practical Procedures	SFM2	5 days	Dec 1966
Vietnamese Language Course	HT1	35 weeks	Jan 1972
Shipfitter First and Chief	HT1		Apr 1976
Military Requirements for First and Chief	HT1		Apr 1976
Engineering Administration	HT1		Apr 1976
Foam Generating Systems Maintenance	HT1	2 weeks	Jan 1978