Anthony Santoro

The only child of Italian immigrants, Alberto and Josephine Santoro, Anthony (Tony) P. Santoro was born on September 30, 1925. In 1944, Mr. Santoro enlisted in the United States Army upon completion of high school. He proudly served with the 10th Armored Division, Company A- Armored Infantry.

In April 1945, while in Heilbronn, Germany, the tank that Mr. Santoro was marching alongside was hit by a German 88-Cannon shell. The explosion threw him into a brick building, and he suffered shrapnel injuries and nerve damage to his back. Mr. Santoro spent a total of seven months between hospitals in Betel, France and Staten Island, New York.

Mr. Santoro received a Purple Heart for the injuries he sustained while deployed, and was medically discharged in November 1945 as a Private 1st Class. 

On June 11, 1946, he married Shirley Barr and the two had 14 children together, six of whom served in various branches in the military. Mr. Santoro went on to obtain his private pilot’s license in 1952, commercial license in 1953, and in 1954 he obtained his flight instructor’s license, logging over 7,000 flight hours.

Mr. Santoro happily retired from the United States Postal Service in 1990 and now resides in Lockport, New York with his wife, Shirley. The two have shared many memories of traveling across the country and now enjoy visits from their many grandchildren, and even a few great grandchildren.