Donald Joseph Gedye was born on 31 December 1917, in Davenport, Iowa, to Charles and Ann (Pryde) Gedye. He spent his formative years in Oglesby, Illinois, a small city nestled along the Vermilion River. The youngest of three brothers, Donald grew up in a close-knit family that valued hard work and community. His father, Charles, and his two older brothers, Robert and Charles Ronald, worked as electricians at the local cement mill, a key industry in the area. Donald, too, worked at the cement mill but distinguished himself by taking a laboratory position. The Gedye family had deep roots in…
Category: Military History
SGT Walter Jerome Domkoski, Service No. 36314241
Walter Jerome Domkoski was born on 30 October 1919, in Oglesby, Illinois, to Polish immigrants John and Antoinette (Kruswicki) Domkoski. His mother had immigrated to the United States with her parents in the late 1800s, while his father arrived from Poland in the early 1900s. The couple married on 6 February 1907, and initially settled in Peru, Illinois, where John worked as a coal miner, like many of their neighbors, who were also Polish immigrants. By 1920, the Domkoski family had moved to, a neighborhood in Oglesby known as Crocketville. By 1930, they relocated to 773 Hazen, just west of…
Using ChatGPT (AI) to Write a WWII Soldier’s Story
Genealogists love to research. It’s the thrill of the hunt and the rush of new discoveries. It’s meeting new ancestors and learning their stories. Many of us eventually want to share what we find with others and in trying to do so can get overwhelmed with putting all that wonderful research into words. Even for those of us who love to write, just getting started can often be a hurdle we need to overcome. To help me with this, I have started using AI to get the party going so to speak. While I occasionally leverage AI when I get…
Map Your Civil War Soldier’s Experience using AI
In the past I have spent considerable time figuring out where a Civil War soldier was stationed as his regiment navigated its mission throughout the war. Sometimes I have been able to extract this information from a book and other times I have relied on the National Park Service (NPS) website. The NPS typically lists places a battle unit has been and battles or other action in which it participated. Here is an example of their listing for the 65th Regiment, Indiana Infantry: As you can imagine getting all of this information into a simple list of locations and actions…
PFC John Anthony Torchia, Service Number 36438620
John Anthony Torchia’s story is a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the valor of those who serve. He was born on 27 June 1922, in LaSalle, Illinois, to Anton and Angelina (Colmane) Torchia, immigrants from Parco, Sicily, Italy (now Altofonte). John’s father, Anton, had arrived in America in 1912 at age 16, and married John’s mother, Angelina, in 1920. John’s mother Angelina made her own journey of immigration from Italy to the U.S. in 1906 at age four along with her mother and younger brother Antonio. John’s early life was steeped in the close-knit, hardworking community…
TEC5 Clement L. Gillio, Service No. 36323575
TEC5 Clement Louis Gillio was born to Italian immigrant parents, August and Angelina (Benedino) Gillio, in Oglesby, Illinois, on 12 October 1916. Clement’s father, August Gillio, had come to the United States at age 21 to join his older brother Antonio. It’s unclear where August first settled upon arriving. However, in Pontiac, Illinois, in 1906, August Gillio married Angelina Benedino, a young lady from his hometown of Cascinette, Italy, By 1910, August and his wife were living in Oglesby, Illinois, and August was supporting his family by working in the coal mine. In 1920 when Clement was three, the Gillio…
PFC Batista J. Gillio, Service No. 36482154
PFC Batista John Gillio’s story is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by many young Americans during World War II. He was born to Italian immigrant parents, Louis and Enrichetta Gillio, in Oglesby, Illinois, on 21 July 1921. Batista’s father, Louis Gillio, had come to the United States as a teenager joining his older brothers Antonio and August. He settled near them in the LaSalle/Peru/Oglesby area of LaSalle County, Illinois, and eventually met and married Enrichetta. Together, they had in addition to Batista, two older sons Charles and Louis Jr and two daughters Rose and Mary. Life was challenging…
CPL Bernard John Zawila, Service No. 425509
Early Years Bernard John Zawila was born on 24 August 1921, in LaSalle, Illinois, to Sophia (Swobodzinski) Zawila. At the time of his birth, Bernard’s mother was a widow having lost her husband, Paul Zawila, six months earlier. When Bernard’s father died, the family was living in Chicago where his father had been working for the McCormick Reaper Works as a laborer. In late February 1921 when Sophia was pregnant with Bernard, Bernard’s father became sick with pneumonia. Within two days he died from the illness. After her husband’s death, Sophia must have moved the family which included two sons…
STAFF SGT Anthony Thomas Piraino, Service No. 36433970
Anthony PIraino was born on 15 January 1921, in Lost Springs, Wyoming, to Gaetano and Rose Falica Piraino. He was the couple’s sixth child. Anthony’s father, Gaetano, grew up in Alcara, Italy, and left in 1903 for the United States when he was in his early 20s. Anthony’s mother, Rose arrived in the United States in the late 1890s. Gaetano and Rose met in Peru, Illinois, in the early 1900s and were married on 14 April 1907. At the time of Anthony’s birth, his family was living and farming in Lost Springs in Wyoming on property they owned. Anthony had…
SGT Joseph Piraino, Service No. 36981801
Joseph PIraino was born on 15 December 1918, in Lost Springs, Wyoming, to Gaetano and Rose (Falica) Piraino. He was the couple’s fifth child. Joseph’s father, Gaetano, grew up in Alcara, Italy, and left in 1903 for the United States when he was in his early 20s. Joseph’s mother, Rose arrived in the United States in the late 1890s. Gaetano and Rose met in Peru, Illinois, in the early 1900s and were married on 14 April 1907. At the time of Joseph’s birth, his family was living and farming in Lost Springs in Wyoming on property they owned. Joseph had…