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Joseph T. Angelo (16 February, 1896 – 23 July, 1978) was an American
veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that h ...
of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
and recipient of the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...
. Prior to joining the
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
, Angelo worked for the Du Pont Powderworks, and was later involved in the
Bonus Army The Bonus Army was a group of 43,000 demonstrators – 17,000 veterans of U.S. involvement in World War I, their families, and affiliated groups – who gathered in Washington, D.C., in mid-1932 to demand early cash redemption of their servi ...
movement of the 1930s." 'Bravest Man in the American Army' is Compliment Bestowed on New Jersey Boy by Tank Commander." ''Indiana Evening Gazette'', April 4, 1919.


War service

Angelo was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during the
Meuse–Argonne offensive The Meuse–Argonne offensive (also known as the Meuse River–Argonne Forest offensive, the Battles of the Meuse–Argonne, and the Meuse–Argonne campaign) was a major part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along t ...
on September 26, 1918, as the Colonel's orderly (batman) with
304th Tank Brigade The Tank Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces was the mechanized unit that engaged in tank warfare for the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Western Front during World War I. Organization Brigadier General Samuel D. Rockenbac ...
, commanded by future General
George S. Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France ...
During the battle, in an exposed position Patton was seriously wounded by a
machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles ...
. Showing great courage under enemy fire, Angelo dragged Patton to safety. He had thus saved the life of a man who would one day become an American legend. The citation for his DSC reads: In the spring of 1919, an interview appeared in American newspapers in which Patton declared Angelo "without doubt the bravest man in the American Army. I have never seen his equal." According to the interviewer, Angelo began "blushing furiously" as he related the following details:


Great Depression and Bonus Army

In 1932, while Patton continued his path on his famous military career, Angelo had returned to civilian life. He was unemployed and suffering along with many other veterans from the effects of the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. As a result, he joined the Bonus Army movement of First World War veterans demanding monetary compensation for their roles in the war. The particular issue was that these veterans had been promised compensation but they were not due to receive it until 1948 (the money was eventually awarded in 1936). Given the realities of the depression, veterans such as Angelo demanded the money be paid immediately. The veterans marched on Washington D.C., setting up camps in order to protest against the administration of President
Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gre ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Angelo, Joe United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army soldiers Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) 1896 births 1978 deaths People from Camden, New Jersey