6th army corps 57th signal battalion

[wjmitc]

I am looking for information regarding my father Themistocles (Tim) H. Faraone. He was a captain in the 6th Army Corps, 57th Signal Battalion and served in Northern Africa, Italy and other parts of Europe. He was a civil engineer and I believe served later in the Army Corps of Civil Engineers. He achieved the rank of colonel before he died in 1963. At that time I was three years old. I wonder if anyone out there knew him.

 

Many thanks,

Dawn Faraone

[Walt's Daughter]

Hello and a big welcome to our 6th Corps family; that's just what WE are!

 

Ah, that is quite a name and I can see why his friends and family called him Tim!

 

This was my dad's name: Walter Poniedzialek

 

That's why his friends and family called him Monday. That's the Polish/English translation for our last name!

 

Hope we can help you somehow. Does anyone in your family have an army photo or serial number, etc.???

[SonofaMP]

Hello Dawn, Welcome to the forum, I think we can help you here. First thing i found on your dad was a H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N by the Rhode Island General Assembly HONORING THE MEMORY AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE OF COL. THEMISTOCLES HAMILCAR FARAONE

 

The link to the page is here: http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/billtext98/housetext98/h9232.htm

 

 

98 -- H 9232

 

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LC04237/2

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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 1998

____________

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING THE MEMORY AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE OF COL. THEMISTOCLES HAMILCAR FARAONE

Introduced By: Representatives Anzeveno, Wasylyk, Cambio, Mesolella and DeSimone

 

Date Introduced : June 26, 1998

 

Referred To: Read and Passed

 

WHEREAS, Before retiring from the military, General Douglas MacArthur spoke of his many years of service to the nation by quoting an old 1920s song. The General's observation that "Old soldiers never die/They simply fade away" has remained in the public's consciousness for more than four decades. Ironically, the all too brief life of another soldier who also provided exemplary service to the nation, Col. Themistocles H. Faraone, illustrates that courage and a sincere dedication to duty are not always fated to fade from memory. Taken from his family and service to Rhode Island in 1963 when he was only 47 years old, Col. Faraone's vibrant personality and myriad accomplishments have not been lost to time, but rather remain vivid and vital to this day in the minds of his loving family and many admirers; and

 

WHEREAS, A native Rhode Islander, born in Providence on April 27, 1916, Col. Faraone was the son of Themistocles and Maria (Fiore) Faraone. A professional engineer, he was a member of the Beta Psi Alpha fraternity and graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Civil Engineering; and

 

WHEREAS, Active in National Guard and Army Reserve units from 1933 to 1938, Col. Faraone proved his personal courage and leadership abilities time and again as he fought in Africa, Italy, France and Germany to rid the world of the scourge of fascism during World War II. His bravery under intense fire during the invasions at Salerno, Anzio and Southern France contributed to his being recognized with the Bronze Star and five Battle Stars. A Battalion Commander with the VI Army Corps, 57th Signal Battalion, Col. Faraone's military service from 1941 to 1946 also earned him the European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, the American Defense Service Medal and the Victory Medal; and

 

WHEREAS, After the war, Col. Faraone was active in Army Reserve units and served as the director of command and general staff training of the Providence United States Army Reserve School. A 1958 graduate of the Associate Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Col. Faraone served on the military staff of Governor Christopher Del Sesto and was appointed by the governor to the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors; and

 

WHEREAS, Col. Faraone, a brother of Mrs. Christopher Del Sesto, proved his great worth as a civil engineer when he served as chief project engineer and superintendent in charge of construction of the all important Fox Point Hurricane Barrier for the M. A. Gammino Construction Company; and

 

WHEREAS, The first president of the Criterian Club of St. Bartholomew's parish in Providence and a former president of the Seventh Ward Republican Club, Col. Themistocles H. Faraone was the chief military aid to then Governor John H. Chafee when he succumbed to a heart attack in October 1963. Thirty-five years later, his surviving family includes his wife, Gladys (Scopelliti) Faraone; his children, Themistocles H. Faraone III, Allegra, Mark and Dawn; and his sister, Mrs. John McDermott; now, therefore, be it

 

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby respectfully honors the distinguished service of Col. Themistocles Hamilcar Faraone. Though tragically snatched from our midst at too young an age thirty-five years ago, the memory of his inestimable contributions to the history of Rhode Island and to the preservation of freedom will never fade away; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Mrs. Gladys Faraone and family.

 

 

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[dfaraone]

Dear Marion,

 

Thank you for welcoming me into your family! Another member was kind enough to respond to me yesterday. I do have my father's service record along with photos and other information. When I figure out how to post the photos I will send them along with my other data. My computer skills are not the best and I will need some help from my teenage son to get that information to you. In the meantime, it would be a great surprise if someone out there knew him at all. I know the chances now are very slim and wish I found this website sooner!

 

Again, thank you for the kind welcome. I am going to take some time now to read about your dad "Monday". I already know he raised a fine daughter who created this informative and really wonderful place for veterans and their families.

 

Sincerely,

Dawn Faraone

[Walt's Daughter]

What a very sweet reply. I look forward to your photos and more.

 

Hey look at it this way; better late than never...

 

 

 

Oh, Larry, thanks for that fine addition too!

[SonofaMP]

Hello Dawn, this may be a place to start. Your father must have attended an officers candidate school somewhere.

It appears there is no Association for the 57th Signal Bn. but i did come up with a link for the SIGNAL CORPS OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

http://www.armysignalocs.com/

 

On the Homepage, click the "WWII Era" button in the upper left corner. On the page that opens, there is an email contact for a Major Richard Green. You can send him the info on your father, hopefuly they can be of some assistance to you.

[SonofaMP]

Hi Dawn, here`s one i should have thought of sooner.

You might want to contact the Anzio Beachhead Veterans.

http://www.anziobeachheadveterans.com/contact

There are a couple of pictures of men of the 57th in their gallery. Quite possibly they may have a member from the 57th.

[SonofaMP]

Hi Dawn, i havent had much luck finding a copy of the 57th`s history. The only available copy shows up in a bookstore in England.

http://www.goldsworthbooks.com/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=

 

Here is Library of Congress listing for the book:

 

History of the 57th Signal Battalion, World War II, February 10, 1941 to September 29, 1945

North Africa-Italy-Europe, Salerno-Anzio-Southern France

edited and arranged by William B. Harley and Hale Mason.

Published 1984 by W.B. Harley in [s.l.] .

Written in English.

 

Edition Notes "May 1, 1984."

Classifications

Dewey Decimal Class 940.54/12/73

Library of Congress D769.363 57th .H57 1984

 

The Physical Object

Pagination xii, 98 p. :

Number of pages 98

 

ID Numbers

Open Library OL2582708M

LC Control Number 85131157

 

http://openlibrary.org/books/OL2582708M/History_of_the_57th_Signal_Battalion_World_War_II_February_10_1941_to_September_

29_1945

[Walt's Daughter]

Hey look at this; it's related:

 

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Tractors-...ignal+battalion

 

Roy S. Tucker left Oklahoma State University in 1941 to enlist in the Army, where he served as Platoon Commander with the 57th Signal Battalion. Roy's unit took part in the invasions at Anzio, Salerno, and Southern France during World War II. Soon after the war ended, Roy went to Washington, DC, to look for a job. He was hired by the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) to work as a Tractor Driver Instructor in China.

 

 

Roy and his wife E.J. were married on December 8, 1945. Roy traveled to China in April 1946, with E.J. following about eight months later after her departure was delayed by a longshoremen's strike in San Francisco. The letters E.J. wrote to her mother from China are included in a section of Tractors and Chopsticks. Other sections include correspondence related to the UNRRA Project and numerous photographs taken by Roy.

 

 

 

Margo Tucker, daughter of Roy and E.J., was instrumental in getting Roy's book published. Margo graduated from Peru State College in Peru, Nebraska, in 1983 with a major in social psychology. Margo is a Montessori Certified directress, and she has traveled extensively in Western Australia and Europe.

[SonofaMP]

I`m happy to report that we have had some success in Dawn`s quest! She has been able to contact Mr William Harley, the co-author of the 57th bn history who is, according to Dawn, a spry 91 yrs old & knows her dad. The search continues for a copy of the book.