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Robert F. Coccari's World War II Page |
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11 Airborne Division |
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Three ex-paratroopers from the 11th Airborne, who began their friendship
in 1943 at Camp Mackall, North Carolina got together after nearly 60
years. Al Lapadula and Artie Leonetti from New York came to visit Robert
Coccari in Monessen for 3 days. In Camp Mackall, they trained as glider men with the 188 Glider Regiments. After moving to Camp Polk, La, they began training as paratroopers. Then they shipped out to New Guinea where they prepared for combat duty in the islands of Leyte and Luzon of the Philippines. After defeating the Japanese, they trained for the invasion of Japan but instead the bomb was dropped. So being that the war ended, they were sent to Japan as the first Division to occupy. They entered Japan several days before the signing to disarm the Japanese. After 4 or 5 months they were discharged and sent home. Robert Coccari arrived home on his mother's birthday on January 9, 1946. |
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Al Lapadula, Artie Leonetti, and Robert Coccari
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Al Lapadula, Robert Coccari, and Artie Leonetti during the war. |
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| Other 11th Airborne Links: |
| The 11th Airborne Division During WW II |
| Robert F. Coccari 11th Airborne |
