Anthony Mucciolo

Anthony Mucciolo was born October 3, 1913 in Flushing, New York and was originally named after his grandfather MarcAntonio Mucciolo. 

Anthony cheated death many times during his lifetime.  When just an infant, Anthony’s mother, Angelina, was carrying Anthony in her arms down the stairs in their apartment when she slipped and fell down the stairs landing on top of little Anthony. 

At age three, Anthony’s sister was playing house with her girlfriends and pretended to be cooking.  They turned on the gas stove, which did not have a pilot, and went outside to play.  Anthony’s father, Michele, smelled the gas from downstairs, ran up to see what was causing the odor, and found Anthony passed out.  The doctor came by trolley car from Corona to Flushing to attend to him.  He remembered this experience till his death in 2009. 

In 1919, Anthony caught influenza, which had no cure, and almost died. The great influenza was the deadliest pandemic in history killing 100 million people worldwide.  It killed more people in 24 weeks than AIDS has killed in the last 24 years.  His grandmother, Mamaria Peduto, nursed him back to health with constant care.  She moved his bed into the living room to be near the fireplace, the only source of heat in their home.

Anthony had pneumonia twice; both times being nursed back to health by his grandmother who used compresses on his chest to break up the phlegm and infection.

Being sickly, Anthony was a skinny-looking young boy.  Because of this, a few classmates picked him on.  Monsignor Eugene J. Donnelly, pastor of the church and school, came into the classroom one day and said to the class “There are a couple of bullies who are picking on a certain boy” as he looked straight at the bullies.  Then he said “Most of you can’t even speak one language correctly; but, we have others in this class including this young man who can speak two languages.  I suggest you leave him alone.” 

Anthony contracted rheumatic fever at age 19.  But none of his ailments kept him from being drafted.  Anthony entered the 563rd Signal Company attached to the 63rd Infantry Division, and went to basic training at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi.  On Christmas Day, 1943, his unit began the long journey to Germany. 

On April 16, 1945, Anthony was wounded in action in Kunzelsau, Germany.  The jeep he was riding in was blown up by a land mine.  He spent several months in various hospitals in Germany and California.  Later, he was awarded the Purple Heart.  While in the hospital in Caloforina, he completed his high school courses and graduated with honors.

In 1941, Anthony married Giuseppina (Josephine) Faso and had three children.  After his service to our country, he couldn't find any company to hire him because he had been woulded.  He purchased a bakery truck and sold baked goods door-to-door.  Later, he worked for the City of Burbank as a warehouse supervisor.  He retired in 1977.  On January 11, 2009 he died of heart disease.  He was 95.