Italian American Veterans Museum

05/25/2026

Remember them, honor them. As we remember all who gave their lives, from the Revolutionary War to the present day, in the name of freedom.

05/20/2026

Chicago radio station US99 morning DJs Melissa and Austin are holding a fundraising drive through Memorial Day weekend to “Get a Vet a Dog.”

VetDog pairs veterans with service dogs at no cost to the veteran. However, It costs over $50,000 to breed, raise, train and place one assistance dog. So they’re asking the public to chip in to get a local Chicago area veteran a dog.

You can find out more, and donate, here: https://fundraising.idonate.com/americas-vetdogs/fundraiser/campaign?program=undefined&fundraising=7074b37a-9594-414a-b224-86ce03aba6fe&edit=true

Learn more about VetDogs at vetdogs.org.

05/12/2026

Born on May 12, 1925, in St. Louis, Lawrence “Yogi” Berra distinguished himself during military service prior to his Hall of Fame baseball career.

At only 19 years of age, Berra was a Seaman Second Class who played a significant role in the D-Day Invasion, one of the most important and dangerous campaigns of World War II.

As one of a six-man crew on a Navy rocket boat, he fired machine guns and launched rockets at German defenses at Omaha Beach. Although fired upon, he was not hit. Yogi Berra was awarded several commendations for bravery under fire.

Berra famously downplayed his bravery, often joking about his experiences, but he was a legitimate hero in the Normandy invasion before becoming one of baseball's greatest catchers.

For more tales from the annals of Italian American military history, visit iavmuseum.org.

05/08/2026

Today is the 81st anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day, May 8, 1945, when N**i Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allies, ending World War II in Europe.

Upon the defeat of Germany, celebrations erupted throughout the Western world, especially in the United Kingdom and North America. More than one million people celebrated in the streets throughout the UK to mark the end of the European part of the war. In Chicago, spontaneous celebrations happened thought the city and people flooded the Loop—specifically State and Madison Streets—to celebrate, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Let us never forget the bravery and sacrifice of the Allied armies, who saved the world from N**ism.

04/19/2026

02/11/2026

On this day, 56 years ago, February 10, 1970, 21-year-old Specialist Four John P. Baca of the United States Army was operating deep within the jungle of Phuoc Long Province in Vietnam.

He served as a recoilless rifle team leader with Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.

On this night, Baca was the point man for a patrol sent out to establish a night ambush position.

He led his unit through the darkness and successfully guided them to their objective site.

As the team moved into their firing positions, they prepared to engage the enemy forces operating in the area.

Suddenly, a hostile fragmentation gr***de was thrown into the center of their small defensive perimeter.

The deadly device landed in the midst of the patrol, trapping the soldiers in a confined space with no time to escape the blast radius.

Fully aware of the lethal danger facing his comrades, Baca made a split-second decision to sacrifice himself.

He ripped his steel helmet from his head and threw it directly over the live gr***de.

Without hesitation, he then jumped on top of the helmet and covered it completely with his own body to seal the explosion.

The gr***de detonated underneath him moments later.

The force of the blast lifted him into the air and inflicted severe injuries upon his body.

By absorbing the concussion and fragmentation with his helmet and torso, he contained the explosion and prevented it from hitting the other men.

His fearless action saved the lives of eight fellow soldiers who were standing just feet away.

Miraculously, Baca survived the devastation despite his critical wounds.

He was evacuated from the battlefield and spent months undergoing medical treatment and recovery.

On June 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon presented the Medal of Honor to Specialist Four John Baca during a ceremony at the White House.

As of today, John Baca is still alive and continues to reside in the United States, remaining active in the veteran community.

02/11/2026

New Beginnings

The board of directors of the Italian American Veterans Museum convened in January to elect officers and make plans for the next stage in their journey at their new home at the recently created Chicagoland Veterans Campus in Addison.

Pictured are (from left) Third Vice President Ron Onesti, Treasurer Joanne Spata, First Vice President Lorenzo Fiorentino (Army major, retired), Secretary and Executive Vice President Paul Basile, Parliamentarian Eugene Giudice and President Joseph Troiani (Navy commander, retired).
Not pictured is Second Vice President Mark DiSanto

01/28/2026

Happy 90th to actor, writer, director, and Italian American veteran, Alan Alda!

Born on Jan. 28, 1936, in New York City as Alphonso D'Abruzzo, Alan Alda served in the U.S. Army ROTC while a student at Fordham University. He served for a year at Fort Benning after graduation in 1956, and then spent six months active duty in the U.S. Army Reserve as a gunnery officer in Korea.

Years later, he starred in the television comedy “M*A*S*H,” portraying Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce, a surgeon at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit during the Korean War. Drawing on his military experience in Korea, he also wrote, directed and served as creative consultant for the series, which aired on CBS from 1972 to 1983.

01/27/2026

NIASHF Spotlight: American hero and NIASHF Inductee Louis Zamperini! ✨🇮🇹

Louis Zamperini’s story is one of great heroism and perseverance. Zamperini’s faith, athleticism and leadership enabled him to negotiate every obstacle in his path.

With the encouragement of his brother, Zamperini started running as a kid to stay out of trouble, little did he know that one day he would become one of the world’s greatest mile runners. At the University of Southern California, Lou set a national collegiate record for the mile in 1938; his time was an incredible 4:08.3. Two years prior Lou was a proud member of the 1936 US Olympic squad.

When his country needed him the most, Lou joined the Army Air Corps and served as a bombardier on a B-24, flying missions over the pacific. In May 1943 Lou’s plane went down during a routine rescue mission, he and two other crew members miraculously survived the crash. Lou managed to survive for the next 47 days on a life raft despite strafing attacks by the enemy and with almost no food or water. Just when things looked like they couldn’t get any worse, Lou and his surviving crew member were captured by the Japanese. Lou was held as a POW for two and a half years during which time he was threatened with death, starved, tortured, and beaten regularly.

Back home Lou’s family was informed that he had been killed in combat; his mother never gave up hope that her son would one day return home safely. That hope was proved with Lou’s triumphant return from the war in September 1945.

Since his return to the states, Lou has shared his story and strengthened faith with thousands each year. Remembering how sports kept him off the streets as a youth, Zamperini started an outward bounds camp to benefit troubled boys. Lou’s faith, hard work, and perseverance provide a role model for thousands of kids and are worth recognition and celebration. Among his many accolades, Lou was awarded with the 2008 Ellis Island Medal of Honor. We too at the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame honored Mr. Lou Zamperini as a 2008 inductee.🇮🇹🇺🇸

Zamperini is the subject of two biographies Devil at my Heels and Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience & Redemption, which was adapted into the film Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie.

01/24/2026

Born on January 24, 1917, Ermes Effron Borgnino, whose stage name was Ernest Borgnine, was perhaps best known for his award-winning acting roles in movies and in the TV comedy “McHale’s Navy.” He also had a distinguished military career, having joined the U.S. Navy in October 1935, serving aboard the destroyer/minesweeper USS Lamberton. After being honorably discharged from the Navy in October 1941, he reenlisted in January 1942 after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

During World War II, he patrolled the Atlantic Coast on an antisubmarine warfare ship, the USS Sylph. In September 1945, he was honorably discharged from the Navy, after serving a total of almost 10 years, reaching the rank of gunner's mate 1st class, and later receiving the honorary title of chief petty officer.

Borgnine was awarded numerous Navy medals and devoted much time and support to Navy veterans and their families.

For more inspirational stories of Italian American bravery, visit the IAVM website, at iavmuseum.org

01/09/2026

On this day in 1945, Vito Bertoldo, of Decatur, Illinois, a Master Sergeant in Company A, 242nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division, was in Hatten, France, where he manned a machine gun in defense of a command post being attacked by a numerically superior German force.

When evacuation became necessary, he voluntarily stayed behind to cover the withdrawal. The next morning he moved to another command post, and again defended it against a continued assault by strong German forces and voluntarily covered the withdrawal of friendly forces when the post was abandoned.

For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor one year later, on January 10, 1946.