DOB/DOD: December 19, 1920 (Greenwich, CT) – March 12, 2004 (Norwalk, CT); 83 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married Helen S. Olszewski (1921-2010) on July 21, 1946, in Port Chester, NY
CHILDREN: Two sons, Jerry P. Jr. (1950-) and Michael (1957-). One daughter, Patricia A. Mariano Santella (1947-).
LOCAL ADDRESS: 227 Scribner Avenue, Norwalk
ENLISTMENT: April 1, 1943
DISCHARGE: February 5, 1946
SERVICE NUMBER: 845791
UNIT: Company L, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division
FAMILY: Born to Pasquale “Patsy” (1892-1963) and Isabella Cappozo Mariano (1896-1942). Three brothers, Michael (1917-1931), Pasquale (1924-1938), and Angelo (1925-2000). One sister, Mary Mariano Bryson (1929-2001).
CIRCUMSTANCES: Wounded in the right foot, thigh, and abdomen during the Battle of Okinawa on May 31, 1945.
OTHER: Stationed as a guard at Marine Observation Squadron 4, Quantico, Virginia, and Naval Aviation Supply Depot, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Attended infantry training as a Mortar Crewman at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in the fall of 1944.
Photo contributed by granddaughter Lori Santella
From The Navy and Marine Corps Casualty Book; Wounded section
From an unknown newspaper. Contributed by granddaughter Lori Santella.
MARIANO HIT ON OKINAWA
Private First Class Jerry Mariano, 24, son of Pasquale Mariano and the late Mrs. Mariano, 70 Byram Terrace Drive, Pemberwick, is still recuperating at a Hawaiian Hospital from wounds received on Okinawa May 31. PFC Mariano joined the Marines two years ago and went overseas late in 1944. The Okinawa campaign was his first, and he had fought 61 days before machine gun bullets felled him. He was wounded in the right foot, thigh, and abdomen. He is a graduate of Greenwich High School and was employed at American Felt Company in Glenville before entering the service. A brother, Seaman Second Class Angelo Mariano, is currently on Okinawa, but the brothers did not meet, since the Marine had already been transferred to Hawaii when his brother arrived.
Essay written and contributed by granddaughter Lori Santella
Mr. Jerry P. Mariano, my grandfather, was born on December 19, 1920, to the parents of Pasquale and Isabella Capozza Mariano in Greenwich. Connecticut. His parents were originally from a little town outside of Naples, Italy. He is one of four sons. (one of whom was killed in World War I and another who was killed in a car accident), and one daughter (who died when she was an infant). My grandfather was introduced to my grandmother, who was originally from Port Chester. New York, through my grandfather’s cousin Mary who used to date my grandmother’s brother, Johnny. My grandparent’s first date was at the Old Post Grill Bowling Alley in Greenwich. On April 1, 1943, my grandfather enlisted in the Marines in Springfield, Massachusetts. From there, he traveled by train to Parris Island, South Carolina, for basic training. After his basic training was completed, he was stationed in Quantico, Virginia. He was then stationed to work as a guard at the Naval Aviation Supply Depot in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was a Military warehouse that stored weapons and equipment. After serving some time in Pennsylvania, he was stationed in San Diego. From there, he was shipped to Guadalcanal, which was an occupied island in the Pacific, to form a new division of the Marines, the Sixth Marine Division of the Twenty-Second Marine Batallion. Here, my grandfather, for the first time, saw the sinking of a ship. Once the 6th division was formed, they boarded a ship to travel to Okinawa, Japan. They traveled on a flat ship in extremely bad weather. As the troops were approaching Japan, they boarded an aircraft, from the ship to bring them to shore. It was Easter Sunday when they arrived on land, and the weather had cleared, and it was a beautiful day. “When the sun came up,” recalls my grandfather, ” there seemed like millions of ships on the water that I had never seen until that day!” My grandfather’s division had one of the most dangerous jobs. They were assault troops on the front battle lines. His division were the first to invade a territory, and were ordered to keep moving. They were commanded to cover a certain amount of territory each day. The Army would later come into that territory to ‘clean up” or claim the territory once the worst of the fighting was through. Once in Okinawa the Marines and Army had devised a plan for the overtaking of the island. My grandfather’s division was ordered to stake the North end of the island, and the 77th Army Division was ordered to stake the south end. The northern end of the island was claimed in 8 days. The Army, however, ran into trouble, and the Marine Division had to take their place and also claim the southern end. They followed the tanks into taking the City of Naha. During the invasion in Okinawa, my grandfather was shot by the machine gun of a Japanese on Sugar Loaf Hill. He was hit in the leg, foot, and abdomen. Once hit, he lay on the ground waiting for the army to come in and get him while the rest of the division forged on. When asked what was going through his mind at the time, my grandfather responded, “I had a pistol with me, so if a Japanese soldier were to approach me, I would shoot myself because I would have rather die than to have been taken prisoner.” Once the Army reached him several hours later, they put him on a stretcher and loaded him on top of a tank to bring him to the field hospital. Once there, all he recalls is the doctor saying, “Cut!” and then waking up on the Navy ship with a huge cut across the side of his stomach. To this day, my grandfather was never told what the doctors did to him. My grandfather was awarded a Purple Heart for being injured in the line of duty and for exemplary service beyond the call of duty. From Okinawa, my grandfather was sent to Pearl Harbor, then to Oakland, California, and was put in the hospital to further care for his wounds. He was entitled to a 30-day sick leave after his hospital stay to recover. He hopped on a C-47 cargo plane for his trip home. Once home, he applied to finish his duty near his home. He then stationed as a guard at the New London Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut, until his duty ran out. He was discharged on March 5, 1946. Following his discharge, he and my grandmother became engaged in April of 1946 and got married in July of the same year. They had 3 children, Patricia Mariano Santella, my mother, Jerry P. Mariano Jr., and Michael Mariano, and currently have 5 grandchildren. He was employed at Con Edison in New York, where he worked for 35 years.
Copy of a letter Jerry Mariano wrote to his future wife. Contributed by Lori Santella.
Okinawa,
May 23,1945
Hello Darling:
I finally got a letter from you after a month of impatiently waiting. And I see by the letter that well, you just were a little too busy to write. I guess things must be pretty busy out in Port Chester. Enough of my bellyaching about mail, as for me, I am fine and in good health so far and my excuse for not writing is the Japs. They have been keeping me pretty busy of late. We have just gotten off the front line and it’s the only chance we ever do get to drop a line if we can get the stationary to write with.
I can’t understand why you didn’t know that I was in combat. Your brother Lou should have known about the 6th Division. I saw your brother Steve 2 weeks ago and he also said he wasn’t getting much mail from you. You don’t have to worry about him. He is doing all right for himself and he is looking great.
We finally got ??? [illegible] from our galley last night for the first time in 52 days on this Island and I’m all for getting out now. You should see me now with a 5 day beard and with all dirt caked on shoes and dirty clothes on. But I guess that’s the life of a marine. We sure were glad to hear that the war in Germany is over with. I’ll bet your brother gets to come home now. I sure do hope so. Let’s hope all the wars are over before long. Because sweet, I’m sure anxious to see you. You can just imagine it’s quite a long time since we were together, isn’t it. I’ve still got your photo with me and I can always look at it when I feel a little blue.
Especially this past week when the Japs would give us a greeting with artillery and mortar fire every morning and night. My buddy and I had dug a fox hole dug about four foot deep. A couple of shells dropped along side of our hole and one night we were buried 3 times with dirt.
Well Darling, enough for now and please remember I’ll write every chance I get and when you known hear from me know it’s just impossible to write and I sure do hope you would get a little busy with your pen. So long for now and just remember that I’ll always love you and I hope that your feelings haven’t changed any. If so, I’d like to know. Because Darling, you are the one and only one I love and always will.
Love + Kisses,
Sonny
From The Norwalk Hour March 15, 2004
JERRY P. MARIANO
U.S. MARINE CORPS VETERAN
Jerry P. Mariano, Sr., 83, of Norwalk, husband of Helen S. Olszewski, died Friday in The Norwalk Hospital. Born in Greenwich on December 19, 1920, son of the late Pasquale and Isabella Mariano, Mr. Mariano was a Norwalk resident since 1964 and was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and awarded a Purple Heart during the Battle of Okinawa. Mr. Mariano retired after forty years as a foreman with Consolidated Edison of New York and was a member of the Retired Men’s Club. He attended Greenwich schools and was a graduate of Greenwich High School, Class of 1938. Mr. Mariano is survived by his wife, Helen; two sons; Jerry P. Mariano, Jr., of Hudson, FL, and Michael Mariano and daughter-in-law Sue, of Seymour, a daughter; Patricia Santella and son-in-law Dennis, of Norwalk, five grandchildren; Dana Boczer, Lori Dominick, Kari Santella, Michelle and Kevin Mariano, two great-grandchildren; Kasey Dominick and Trevor Boczer. Mr. Mariano is predeceased by a sister, Mary Bryson, and three brothers, Angelo, Michael, and Pasquale Mariano. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday at 10 a.m. in St. Matthew’s Church, 216 Scribner Avenue. Committal will follow in St John Cemetery, Richards Avenue. Friends may call from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning at the Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue. Memorial contributions are requested to Alzheimer’s Assoc., Fairfield County Chapter, G07 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851, or to The American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Drive, Box 5022, Wallingford. CT 06492.
Buried in St. John Cemetery, 223 Richards Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut; Section and Plot number pending.
Photo pending
END
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