Mario Fredrick Rosatti
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
ROSATTI, Mario Frederick
Mario Fredrick Rosatti was born on December 2nd 1922 to Joseph D. & Rose {DeMillo] Rosatti in Hibbing, Minnesota.
Mr. Rosatti of Hibbing, Minnesota was inducted into the U.S. Army on May 5th 1943.
He was a radio operator with Troop A, 113th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, First Army, XIX Corps in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland and Central Europe. He rose to the rank of Technician 4th Class (TEC4).
He recalls, "On April 1, 1945, I was injured above the right eye while crossing the Weser River with the 83rd Infantry Division. Our unit fought...from Omaha beach to 30 miles from Berlin.
The hedgerow country in Normandy was the toughest combat areas to defeat the Germans. It took the First Army 44 days from Omaha Beach to St. Lo (14 miles) to liberate the town. The 113th Cav was in the forefront or ahead of the divisions by at times 3 to 4 miles. We worked with the 29th, 28th, 30th and 83rd Infantry Divisions, also with the 2nd Armored 'Hell on Wheels' Division."
His unit captured the town of Gaucherie, 3 miles inland from Omaha Beach after 4 days of combat. Upon regrouping in an apple orchard, his company was shelled by German 88 m.m. artillery from a hill and took many casualties.
He states, "I believe I was one of the 7 left out of a platoon from the artillery attack." He was in the combat area for 21 months.
TEC4 Rosatti earned the following merits for his service:
- Good Conduct Medal,
- European-African-Middle East Campaign Service Medal with 4 bronze battle stars,
- World War II Victory Medal, -and-
- three overseas service bars.
He was honorably discharged on December 27th 1945. After the war, he returned to Hibbing, where he married Elsa M. [Erickson] in 1949.
Mr. Rosatti died on July 21st 1996 at the age of 73 years. He is buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Hibbing.
Source(s): Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 271.
Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center | Veterans Memorial Hall (vets-hall.org)
Page 1 WWII Draft Registration Cards - Fold3
Mario Frederick Rosatti (1922-1996) - Find a Grave Memorial
U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 - Ancestry.com
