MIGHTY NINETY
Angelo DeScisciolo
Fire Controlman 2nd Class, USS ASTORIA 1944-1945
F Division
Mighty Ninety plankowner Angelo DeScisciolo, FC2/c from F Division. This photo from earlier in DeScisciolo's Navy career shows him as a Seaman 1st Class, with a Navy E for excellence visible on his jumper sleeve.
-courtesy of his son CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
Angelo "Dee" DeScisciolo grew up in Norwich, CT and joined the U.S. Navy in August 1940. He was assigned to the destroyer USS CRAVEN DD-382 for a year before transferring to USS WHITNEY AD-4. Based at Pearl Harbor, DeScisciolo was aboard WHITNEY during the Japanese attacks of 7 December 1941.
In March 1942, DeScisciolo was transferred to Newport News, VA to join the pre-commissioning crew of the new SOUTH DAKOTA-class battleship USS INDIANA BB-58. He spent the next 16 months of the war aboard INDIANA as she screened carriers during operations in the Solomons.
DeScisciolo returned stateside in August 1943 to attend Advance Fire Control School in Washington, DC. Following this seven-month school, he was assigned to join a new ship's pre-commissioning crew for the second time--this time joining the crew of USS ASTORIA CL-90.
On 17 May, 1944 Angelo DeScisciolo became a plankowner for the second time. Above is his Plankowner's Certificate from USS ASTORIA CL-90.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
DeScisciolo was assigned to F Division as one of Mighty Ninety's fire controlmen. He manned one of the ship's Mk37 gunfire directors for the 5in/38 secondary battery. DeScisciolo remained aboard ship until May 1945, when he was again transferred stateside. He was present for the majority of Mighty Ninety's notable wartime experiences--the typhoon of December 1944 and operations against the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, French Indochina, Formosa, and the Japanese home islands. His final wartime assignment from 1945-46 was aboard USS O'HARE DD-889, where he conducted operations and training in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico before his discharge in November 1946.
CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
F-Division sailors atop Sky Forward's Mk34 main battery director, taken from the Mk37 secondary battery director. This photo was taken at the end of the war, after DeScisciolo had left ASTORIA. His hometown buddy Tom Piezzo is standing at far right. Note the ship's bow visible fifty feet below.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
Although DeScisciolo left USS ASTORIA in May 1945, he remained in contact with Mighty Ninety shipmates. This photo postcard of the ship was sent to him by Tom Piezzo on 12 April 1946.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
The reverse of the photo postcard. Note the postal cancel marked ASTORIA CL-90.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
Angelo DeScisciolo was recalled to the U.S. Navy when the Korean War began in June 1950. Following a one-year college deferment, he joined the crew of the battleship USS WISCONSIN BB-64 and spent the winter of 1951-52 providing fire support for U.S. Marines and South Korean troops. DeScisciolo was discharged in September 1952. He finished his Navy career with 10 battle stars--7 from WWII and 3 from Korea.
F Division shipmates in attendance of the 1988 USS ASTORIA CL-90 reunion in Buffalo, NY. Clockwise from top left are Jesse Johnson, Bob Foley, Charles Worrell, Jim Bradbury, Bill Olmsted, Myron Martin, and Angelo DeScisciolo.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
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Fire Controlman 2nd Class, USS ASTORIA 1944-1945
F Division
Mighty Ninety plankowner Angelo DeScisciolo, FC2/c from F Division. This photo from earlier in DeScisciolo's Navy career shows him as a Seaman 1st Class, with a Navy E for excellence visible on his jumper sleeve.
-courtesy of his son CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
Angelo "Dee" DeScisciolo grew up in Norwich, CT and joined the U.S. Navy in August 1940. He was assigned to the destroyer USS CRAVEN DD-382 for a year before transferring to USS WHITNEY AD-4. Based at Pearl Harbor, DeScisciolo was aboard WHITNEY during the Japanese attacks of 7 December 1941.
In March 1942, DeScisciolo was transferred to Newport News, VA to join the pre-commissioning crew of the new SOUTH DAKOTA-class battleship USS INDIANA BB-58. He spent the next 16 months of the war aboard INDIANA as she screened carriers during operations in the Solomons.
DeScisciolo returned stateside in August 1943 to attend Advance Fire Control School in Washington, DC. Following this seven-month school, he was assigned to join a new ship's pre-commissioning crew for the second time--this time joining the crew of USS ASTORIA CL-90.
On 17 May, 1944 Angelo DeScisciolo became a plankowner for the second time. Above is his Plankowner's Certificate from USS ASTORIA CL-90.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
DeScisciolo was assigned to F Division as one of Mighty Ninety's fire controlmen. He manned one of the ship's Mk37 gunfire directors for the 5in/38 secondary battery. DeScisciolo remained aboard ship until May 1945, when he was again transferred stateside. He was present for the majority of Mighty Ninety's notable wartime experiences--the typhoon of December 1944 and operations against the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, French Indochina, Formosa, and the Japanese home islands. His final wartime assignment from 1945-46 was aboard USS O'HARE DD-889, where he conducted operations and training in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico before his discharge in November 1946.
CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
F-Division sailors atop Sky Forward's Mk34 main battery director, taken from the Mk37 secondary battery director. This photo was taken at the end of the war, after DeScisciolo had left ASTORIA. His hometown buddy Tom Piezzo is standing at far right. Note the ship's bow visible fifty feet below.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
Although DeScisciolo left USS ASTORIA in May 1945, he remained in contact with Mighty Ninety shipmates. This photo postcard of the ship was sent to him by Tom Piezzo on 12 April 1946.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
The reverse of the photo postcard. Note the postal cancel marked ASTORIA CL-90.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
Angelo DeScisciolo was recalled to the U.S. Navy when the Korean War began in June 1950. Following a one-year college deferment, he joined the crew of the battleship USS WISCONSIN BB-64 and spent the winter of 1951-52 providing fire support for U.S. Marines and South Korean troops. DeScisciolo was discharged in September 1952. He finished his Navy career with 10 battle stars--7 from WWII and 3 from Korea.
F Division shipmates in attendance of the 1988 USS ASTORIA CL-90 reunion in Buffalo, NY. Clockwise from top left are Jesse Johnson, Bob Foley, Charles Worrell, Jim Bradbury, Bill Olmsted, Myron Martin, and Angelo DeScisciolo.
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
-courtesy of CAPT Dominic DeScisciolo, USN
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