Anthony V. Di Santis
Anthonio Vincenzo Di Santis was born April 27, 1920 in The Bronx, New York. His father was Pietro DiSantis and mother was Carmella Ricciadelli who emigrated from Italy on March 3, 1893. Dad was the youngest of three sons and he had six sisters. Pietro and Carmella were local grocers and had a store and owned the ten-unit tenement building above it.
The Rangers were a significant part of my dad’s life.
My father attended Ranger Reunions every two years, often with my mother. The conventions were held around the country and were the highlight of Dad’s summer. Every two years, he would grow out his mustache as it was when he was with the unit. I remember taking a road trip to Milwaukee, WI, sometime during the 1960s. We even toured a brewery (I was underage at the time). I also recall my mom and dad going to Des Moines, IA, Dallas, TX, and Washington, DC for Ranger reunions.
During the reunion, my dad would sit in the hotel lobby where the event took place and watch his old friends walk in the door. As the years went on, more men became aware of the reunions and attended whenever possible. In fact, for the last 20-30 years of his life, Dad wore a black beret with a Ranger patch, proudly advertising his association with the battalion. I don’t know how many men he recruited to attend the next biennial reunion, but I’m sure even one would have been plenty. My dad especially loved reconnecting with friends whom he thought had been casualties at the reunion. It brought him great joy to see those old compatriots again.
I have Dad’s black beret, his stiletto, and a book titled “Darby’s Rangers” by James Altieri. The book was published in 1945 and chronicles William O. Darby, the formation of the unit, its training, and operations during WWII. My dad is pictured once in the book and listed on the roster of the Ranger Force Headquarters. I remember this book had a cardboard cover, but my father had it proudly leather-bound.
Within the covers of this magazine-formatted book were some of my dad’s cherished Ranger mementos: old newspapers and clippings, his discharge papers, a Special Official Pass (to travel to Naples, and any other “off limit” areas), a color photograph of my dad and other members of the Northeast Chapter of the Ranger Battalion Association, a telephone roster of Northeast Chapter members, and an invitation from Warner Brothers Pictures to a “special screening” of “Darby’s Rangers” in New York City.
Recently, while reading his discharge papers, I came across things I knew, forgot, and never knew. After U.S. Army Basic Training, Dad served 30 months as a Sergeant in the 1st and 4th Ranger Battalions in Africa, Sicily, and Italy. He was overseas for almost 16 months. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, a Distinguished Unit Badge, with an Oak Leaf Cluster, a European – African – Middle Eastern Service Medal, and a Good Conduct Medal. His last 10 months of service were as a Private First-Class, Military Policeman. He was honorably discharged after 3 years, 8 months, and 11 days from Fort Monmouth, N.J.
Anthony (Tony) married Adeline Denaro on May 5th 1946 in The Bronx. They had two children: Peter DiSantis and Janet (DiSantis) Surace. They lived in The Bronx until 1977 when they moved to Yonkers, NY. He retired in 1982 as a machinist and member of Local 810 of the United Wire, Metal and Machine Workers Union in Westchester, NY. Dad died July 30,1987.
Written by his son, Peter DiSantis
