Peter Dalessandro (1918 - 1997)

Born 18 May 1918 in Watervliet, Albany, New York, United States

Died 15 Oct 1997 at age 79 in Latham, New York

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Biography

Peter Dalessandro was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Peter Dalessandro was awarded the Silver Star Medal.

Peter Dalessandro was awarded the Purple Heart.

Peter Dalessandro was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Peter Dalessandro was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal (United States).

Technical Sergeant Peter Dalessandro served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 14 Jan 1941
Unit(s): 1st Platoon, Company E, 1st Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division
Service ended:

Technical Sergeant Peter Dalessandro was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Peter was born 18 May 1918 in Watervleit, New York. He was the son Emelio Dalessandro and Maria Busone.

Peter was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on 22 December 1944 near Kalterherberg, Germany. He was captured during the action and became a POW of the Germans. Prior to his Medal of Honor award, Peter had received two Silver Star Medals. The first Silver Star was for saving the life of a wounded officer under fire in North Africa. He was awrded a second Silver Star for fighting in four villages near the German border. He was awarded a Bronze Star for Valor during fighting near the Meuse River and German Border.

Peter was elected as a Democrat to the New York State Senate in 1947, representing the 35th district from 1947 to 1954 and the 36th from 1955 until his resignation in 1957.

He married Patricia Farley on 17 March 1957 in Albany, New York.^[1][2]

He passed away on 15 October 1997 at his home in Latham, New York.^[3]

Find A Grave: Memorial #8222894

• 1920 - Albany, Albany, New York, United States.^[4]
• 1940 - Watervliet, Albany, New York, United States.^[5]

Congressional Medal of Honor Citation

He was with the 1st Platoon holding an important road junction on high ground near Kalterherberg, Germany, 22 December 1944. In the early morning hours, the enemy, after laying down an intense artillery and mortar barrage, followed through with an all-out attack that threatened to overwhelm the position. TSgt. Dalessondro, seeing that his men were becoming disorganized, braved the intense fire to move among them with words of encouragement. Advancing to a fully exposed observation post, he adjusted mortar fire upon the attackers, meanwhile firing upon them with his rifle and encouraging his men in halting and repulsing the attack. Later in the day the enemy launched a second determined attack. Once again, TSgt. Dalessondro, in the face of imminent death, rushed to his forward position and immediately called for mortar fire. After exhausting his rifle ammunition, he crawled 30 yards over exposed ground to secure a light machine gun, returned to his position, and fired upon the enemy at almost point-blank range until the gun jammed. He managed to get the gun to fire one more burst, which used up his last round, but with these bullets he killed four German soldiers who were on the verge of murdering an aidman and two wounded soldiers in a nearby foxhole. When the enemy had almost surrounded him, he remained alone, steadfastly facing almost certain death or capture, hurling grenades and calling for mortar fire closer and closer to his outpost as he covered the withdrawal of his platoon to a second line of defense. As the German hordes swarmed about him, he was last heard calling for a barrage, saying, "OK, mortars, let me have it right in this position!" The gallantry and intrepidity shown by TSgt. Dalessondro against an overwhelming enemy attack saved his company from complete rout.^[6]

Research Notes

• Based on sources including newspaper articles Peter's last name can be spelled Dalessandro or D'Alessandro with the first the most prevalent.

Sources

1. ↑ Patricia J. Farley Bride of Sen. Peter Dalessandro, The Troy Record, Troy, New York, 18 Mar 1957, Mon • Page 26
2. ↑ New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Marriage Index. Ancestry.com. New York State, Marriage Index, 1881-1967 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017. Ancestry Record 61632 #3329895
3. ↑ Peter Dalessandro active in vets' group, North Adams Transcript, North Adams, Massachusetts, 17 Oct 1997, Fri • Page 2
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJKD-X8X : 2 February 2021), Pete Salasoadio in entry for Amelio Dalassardro, 1920.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3TF-PMR : 7 January 2021), Peter Dalessandro in household of Emilo Dalessandro, Watervliet, Albany, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 1-78, sheet 7A, line 18, family 120, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 2458.
6. ↑ Congressional Medal of Honor Society - PETER JOSEPH DALESSONDRO

• National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Ancestry Record 2238 #303298484
• SERIOUSLY WOUNDED, The Troy Record, Troy, New York, 17 May 1943, Mon • Page 16
• HERO WILL GET HIGHEST AWARD, The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, North Carolina, 14 Aug 1945, Tue • Page 7
• Truman To Give Medals Of Honor To Twenty-Seven, Times Herald, Olean, New York, 18 Aug 1945, Sat • Page 2
• Watervliet Youth Wins Purple Heart, The Troy Record, Troy, New York, 17 Sep 1943, Fri • Page 32
• Watervleit Will Honor D'Alessondro, The Troy Record, Troy, New York, 18 Aug 1945, Sat • Page 16
• STATE DECORATES 56 HEROS OF WAR, Dunkirk Evening Observer, Dunkirk, New York, 24 Sep 1945, Mon • Page 9
• War Hero is Dead at 79, The Daily Gazette, Schenectady, NY, Friday, Oct 17, 1997, Pages B1 and B5.