06/16/2026
82 YEARS AGO: SERGEANT SIMONETTI
John Simonetti was born May 24, 1918 in New York City, the youngest son of Italian immigrants. He and his six siblings grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens.
John enjoyed playing a variety of sports alongside his cousin Ben. As a young man growing up during the Depression, John joined the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression, providing much-needed income as well as familiarity with hard work and a little military-style discipline.
When America entered World War II, John and Ben enlisted in the US Army; they were destined to serve in different theaters, with Ben going to the Pacific (77th I.D.). Meanwhile John, after undergoing training at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, shipped out for Britain as a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd “Indianhead” Infantry Division.
The 2nd Division landed across Omaha Beach one day after the June 6, 1944 landings (D+1). Within days the unit was involved in bitter combat as the US V Corps strove to enlarge its precarious beachhead. Before long, the Indianhead boys were deeply enmeshed in intense fighting in Normandy’s bocage – the notorious hedgerow country; their opponents were members of the best German infantry formation in Normandy, the 3rd Parachute Division, and the fighting was costly and hard. It was during one of these clashes that Staff Sergeant Simonetti was killed in action at the little village of St. Germain-d'Elle on June 16, 1944; he was 23 years old. A comrade who saw him die later remembered Simonetti firing a rifle gr***de at enemy positions when he was struck in the throat by a bullet. His body could not be recovered that day, or later, as fighting continued to rage in the area for weeks.
Simonetti’s remains were buried by either the Germans or (most likely) French civilians; the body was one of many, and no one kept track of where. When the Normandy American Cemetery was established, his name was listed on the Wall of the Missing. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Just over six months later, John's cousin Ben was killed in action during fighting in the Philippines.
In 2009 – 65 years after his death – local workers uncovered Simonetti’s battlefield grave, including his dog tags, during a construction project. One year later his remains were repatriated to the USA, where they were laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Over 100 family members attended the funeral.
Back in Normandy, the tiny village that had unknowingly hosted Simonetti’s remains erected a memorial to the American sergeant who had come all the way from New York City to help liberate them.
For additional information on the story of this soldier and his family, there is a very good website dedicated to that: http://staffsgtjohnsimonetti.com/
