Q. What are some of the biggest takeaways from participating in the 2019 Fast Track? T he Atlantic Ocean buffered America from the cancerous expansion of Hitler’s Third Reich, but when America crossed it to go to war, seventeen- year-old Alfonso DiNola didn’t hesitate. His politics were blunt: “Hitler was a nut, that’s all.” Alfonso’s patriotism was pure: “You just did it because it was the right thing to do. We all did our part.” In his own words, “My buddy and I Seaman First Class Alfonso DiNola HONORING OUR AGING VETERANS
sunburn!”) and witnessed his first hurricane. “It was scary, with the water coming up the eight-foot seawalls.” He was assigned to a Beach Crew and worked up to Beachmaster. Their mission was massive: keep the Atlantic coast safe. Beach Party Teams controlled the beaching and retracting of the landing craft and directed the flow of personnel and material over the beach. Beachmaster Units controlled landing craft, lighterage, and amphibious vehicles; coordinated movement of equipment, troops, and supply vehicles; and maintained observation of wind and surf conditions. He speaks with pride of his wife’s war service as well. “Angie was in the tank program in 1947 and 1949—a regular Rosie the Riveter!” Like all patriots, he had side- lined his private life to serve his country, so he took advantage of a 15-day furlough in 1945 to marry his 17-year-old sweetheart. “This June, we would have been married for 74 years,” he says wistfully. Sadly, Angie
passed earlier this year. “When I got back to Florida, I found us a little apartment and sent for her, and we were there until I was discharged to go home. The nation welcomed us home with open arms. I went back to work at the Army Depot where I had been when the war started, and Angie kept working in the Navy exchange.” There is remarkable humility in this simple summation of their service in World War II. And yet, the war experience went deep. To this day, it influences his way of looking at the world and draws him back to where it was fought. “We would go to Germany— a beautiful country—and you could still see all the damage from the war, the demolition of a cathedral,” he says. “At Luxembourg we saw the American cemeteries. In Europe they are still erecting monuments to thank us for coming over to save their countries and rescue the people.”
went to the Albany, New York recruiting station and joined the Navy. All my friends, my brother, and my cousin enlisted. Our parents signed our papers, and one week later I was on my way to Samson, New York for six weeks of training.” Afterward, he was sent to Pensacola (“I had never heard of it!”) where he got his first experience with the Florida sun (“Such a
54 JULY 2019 | MELALEUCA.COM
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