Alfred F. Bucci Verified listing

Alfred Francis “Al” Bucci was born in Baltimore on June 17, 1923, and grew up in the city’s “Pig Town” neighborhood. After graduating from Southern High School, he planned to enlist, but a draft notice arrived first.

He trained for Army service at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi, followed by further large-scale training during the Louisiana Maneuvers, and later at Camp Maxey. Because he showed strong aptitude, he was sent to Fort Sill for communications training. Although he was asked to stay on as an instructor, he chose to remain with the 99th Infantry Division, the unit he had trained alongside from the beginning.

Bucci shipped out from Boston with the 99th Infantry Division, arriving in England in October 1944, and landing at Le Havre, France, on November 1, 1944. Serving as a switchboard operator in Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Division Artillery, 99th Infantry Division, he supported combat operations through the Ardennes and into Germany, helping keep communications running as the division fought and moved forward.

On March 13, 1945, two days after crossing into Germany near the Remagen area and establishing a communications center by the riverbank, Bucci was wounded by shrapnel during an attack by German aircraft. After treatment at a field hospital, he returned to duty. He remained connected to the Army’s final push in Europe until the war ended, and then served additional time on occupation duty.

Bucci returned to the United States in October 1945 and was discharged from the Army on December 12, 1945, with the rank of Private First Class.