Private First Class Andrew R. Tomasello

US Army - WW II

 


Service Number: 31357090

165th Engineer Combat Battalion, A Co

Born: 3 April 1924

Date of Death: 21 March 1945 - Age 20 - Hornbach, Germany 

Status: KIA

 

Buried: Plot C, Row 20,  Grave 17 - Ardennes American Cemetery


Awards

 

Purple Heart

Good Conduct Medal

WWII Victory Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Medal

Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Bar


BIOGRAPHY

Son of Frank and Anna Tomasello.  Brother of Frank and Roy

 

Entered Service from Massachusetts on 19 May 1943.

At the time of enlistment:

Height: 64 inch

Weight: 119 pounds

Eyes: brown

Hair: brown

1945

Co A 165th Engineer Combat Battalion was billeted in a house in Hornbach, Germany. 

On March 21, 1945 there was an explosion within the house killing 12 and wounded 8 others.  A time delay bomb was strategically placed by the retreating Germans. Remains of 7 of those 12 deceased were recovered, 5 bodies remained in the rubble due to the mission of the Battalion.  Lt. Col. Shilling had to give the order to cease attempts to recover the bodies and prepare to move out in accordance with his orders.  Andy's remains were one of the 5. 

 

1948

On September 8, 1948 the Graves Registration went back to Hornbach to retrieve the 5 bodies.  They found Andy's remains were mixed in the rubble with another man's remains and it was impossible to separate them.  They were buried together until proper identification could be made. Until then Andrew was listed as "Unknown X-7889".

 

1949

March 15, 1949 a disinterrement directive was issued: X-7889 buried at HH-8-189 is identified and will be reburied. 

 

Disinterrement on August 15, 1949 of unknown X-7889 and reburied, in military clothing, September 1949 as identified, 

 

Flag sent to father on September 29, 1949.

 


Frank Tomasello - 21st March 2018

"Thank you so much Danielle for adopting and continuing to honor Andy. It's a sad day for me when I think back to being a young boy coming home from school and finding out from my crying father that Andy had been killed in action. It seems as I get older his loss affects me more thinking about all those years and what could have been between us. On this day, Danielle, I thank God for you because you are the bond between Andy and me. For that and the love you continue to show us, I will be eternally grateful to you.♥️."