Pfc. Daniel Michael Bagnuolo was born on February 6, 1914, to James Bagnuolo and Frances Salvatore-Bagnuolo in Melrose Park, Illinois. He had three sisters and a brother, and grew up at 1115 North 11th Avenue in Melrose Park. He graduated from Stevenson School and attended Proviso Township High School but left before graduating. He used Bagnola as his last name while in high school, but the when he registered when the Selective Service Act took effect, he was required to use the last name of his birth certificate. He married Theresa, was the father of a son, who was born on January 5, 1944, and worked for the Material Service Company. When the Selective Service Act took effect on October 16, 1940, he registered and named his wife as his contact person.
On September 23, 1943, he was inducted into the US Army, given the serial number 36, 688, 955. After completing basic training, he was assigned to the 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division which at the time had fought in Italy after suffering heavy casualties during the fighting at Anzio in February 1944. The division, liberated Rome on June 4, 1944, but was withdrawn from combat to prepare for Operation Dragoon which was the invasion of Southern France. It appears that during the landings, on August 15, 1944, and liberated St. Tropez.
According to available information, the division was fighting its way up the Rhone Valley and at the Battle of Radon, France, when he was hit by shell shrapnel and taken to a field hospital. He died of his wounds on September 21, 1944 at Faucogney, France. Military records show that he was buried on September 27th in Plot C, Row 8, Grave 378 in the US Military Cemetery, St. Jean, France, and a wooden cross marked his grave. It is not known when his wife and parents learned of his death.
His wife remarried on November 26, 1945, but the Office of the Quartermaster General did not know she had remarried and continued to send letters to her about Daniel. In a letter dated, September 30, 1946, she was informed where he was buried and the location of his grave in the cemetery. Another letter dated April 17, 1947, contained a photo of the cemetery where he lay. Another letter arrived, dated June 18, 1947, asking her to fill-out and return an enclosed form to the Office of the Quartermaster General, Washington DC, indicating where she wanted Daniel buried. It was on the form that she indicated she had remarried and sent a copy of her marriage certificate.
Daniel’s father became his next of kin and received the same letter, dated December 1, 1947, that had been sent to Daniel’s wife asking him to fill-out and return an enclosed form the Office of the Quartermaster General indicating where he wanted his son buried. The OQMG received the form on December 30th indicating that his father wanted Daniel returned to the United States.
Daniel’s casket was sent by train from the United States Military Cemetery, Espinal, France, on August 23, 1948, and arrived at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium on the 26th. The American Graves Registration Service, Antwerp, placed his casket on the USAT Carroll Victory on September 16th and the ship sailed the same day. The ship arrived in the New York Port of Entry on October 14th and his casket was sent to the Quartermaster Corps’ Distribution Center #8, by train with a military escort, in Chicago. By a military hearse, his remains were taken to the Edward Prigano Funeral Home in Melrose Park, Illinois on October 28th.
Pfc. Daniel M. Bagnuolo was buried at the Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, Hillside, Illinois, with full military honors. His wife and son moved to West Palm Beach, Florida. His son served as a Navy Seal and did two tours in Viet Nam. He married and was the father of four sons.
