Angelo Giacobbe was born on July 28, 1948, to Angelina and Dominick Giacobbe. He was raised in Springfield Gardens, NY, along with his twin brother, Paul, his younger brother, Dominick, and sister, Barbara. Angelo’s family was a close knit one. Angelo was especially close to Paul. They did everything together. Angelo was an easy-going, courageous child.
Angelo was not afraid to take on big tasks. Angelo’s brother, Paul, remembers when Angelo was nine and in the fourth grade. Angelo was selected to carry a large American flag at an assembly. The flag was so large that he wore a harness with a canister to support it and the flagpole. It took all his strength and concentration to march with it. When Angelo finally stopped, he stood for a few seconds and all of a sudden started to fall forward. His teacher, Mrs. Dezendorf, reached out and grabbed Angelo by the shoulder to stop him from landing face first on the stage. Mrs. Dezendorf held onto him for the rest of the assembly.
In Angelo’s teenage years, he became a weight lifting buff. (Maybe it was because of his experience with the flag). In his junior year he won a New York City- wide physical fitness award. Angelo also played bass guitar in his band that included his brothers, Paul and Dominick. He loved to play music that he had written, as well as the music of others. Angelo especially liked the music of the Beatles. He graduated from Andrew Jackson High School. Not long after his family moved to Turnersville, NJ.
Both Angelo and his father were very patriotic. His father was a highly decorated US Navy Veteran of World War II. Angelo followed in his father’s footsteps when he enlisted in the US Army. He decided to postpone going to college to become an architect until after he served his country.
Angelo arrived in the Republic of Vietnam in May 1968. He was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. He attained the rank of Private First Class (PFC).
On August 19, 1968, Company A was given a “move to contact mission” near Ban Me Thuot City, Republic of Vietnam. At approximately 16:30 hours, Company A came in contact with a large enemy force. Upon making initial contact, air support was summoned. Angelo was struck in the back by “friendly fire” resulting from the ensuing air strike and died instantly.
One of the saddest days of our lives was when two soldiers came to our door and told us Angelo was gone. The image of our parents standing there hearing the worst news of their lives still remains with us.
Angelo was posthumously awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart and the Good Conduct Medal. He was also awarded the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster for heroism. He had been previously awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, the Marksman Badge with Automatic Rifle Bar, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
His Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device (First Oak Leaf Cluster) citation reads:
For heroism in connection with military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Private First Class Giacobbe distinguished himself while serving as an Infantryman with Company A, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. On the afternoon of 19 August 1968, Private First Class Giacobbe was a member of a company size movement north of Ban Me Thuot City. Moving along a predetermined route, they discovered a large enemy bunker complex, and almost simultaneously came under a heavy barrage of hostile fire. As the unit maneuvered to better engage the enemy, Private First Class Giacobbe exposed himself to the intense enemy fire in laying down an excellent base of fire to cover his comrades’ movement. As he fired his weapon and maneuvered on the enemy, he aided his comrades in better positioning themselves. As the engagement grew in intensity, air strikes were called in to help neutralize the enemy positions. Continuing to engage the hostile emplacements, Private First Class Giacobbe was mortally wounded by aircraft fire directed at the enemy positions. His alertness and initiative greatly aided and inspired his comrades in repelling the enemy assault. Private First Class Giacobbe’s personal bravery, persevering concern for the welfare of his comrades and exemplary devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
A memorial park located on Ganttown Road in Washington Township, NJ was dedicated in Angelo’s honor on September 27, 1997.
Angelo
July 28, 1948-August 19, 1968 PFC. Army Turnersville, NJ
“When you have a twin brother, all your life milestones are shared,” says Paul Giacobbe, now living in Oxnard, California. “Starting school, learning to ride a bike, discovering girls. We built tree forts and underground forts. Fished for sunnies and perch. We delivered newspapers and played stickball. We even earned some extra money shoveling snow for our neighbors.”
The Giacobbe family lived in New York until late 1966 when they moved to the Greenwood Park section of Washington Township, NJ. Dominick, Sr. was a highly decorated Navy veteran of World War II. After the war, he worked for the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard until his transfer to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. He and his wife, Angelina, raised four children; first a pair of twins, Paul and Angelo, then Dominick, Jr., and finally Barbara. The twins graduated in June of 1966 from Andrew Jackson High School in Springfield Gardens, New York.
Angelo stood a well-built 5’ 9” tall, had brown hair and brown eyes. His body developed into a crafted ‘V’ form when he started lifting weights. As a junior in high school, he won a New York City physical fitness award. Paul still has the medal.
An incident in grammar school may have inspired Angelo’s passion for weight training and fitness. The story has become a family favorite and elicits laughter every time it is told. Angelo was in the fourth grade when he was chosen to carry the American flag for an assembly.
“The flag was so large that he wore a harness with a canister to support the flag and the pole,” Paul recalls. “It took all his strength and concentration to march with the flag. When Angelo finally stopped, he stood there a few seconds and then all of a sudden, he started to fall forward. I remember his teacher reaching out and grabbing him by the shoulder, stopping him from landing face first on the stage. She held onto him for the rest of the assembly.”
Barbara Giacobbe, of Turnersville, NJ, remembers her brother and his weight lifting, but also recalls his love for music. “Angelo lifted weights to keep in top physical shape and played bass guitar in his rock band that also included Paul and Dominick,” she says. “They loved to play all the Beatle songs.”
Dominick Giacobbe, operator of the Tang Soo Karate Academy in Laurel Springs, NJ, remembers the mentor he had in his older brother. “He always worked at guiding me and teaching me to do things right,” he says. “Angelo was a strong, confident and respectful young man with character and humor. He had a high respect for parents and family.”
After the family moved to Washington Township, Angelo worked as a ship fitter at the Navy Yard and had a part time job at a department store. Paul tells of Angelo’s work ethic and sense of fairness.
“My father always set an example of craftsmanship for us,” he says. “Whether it was stocking shelves or working at the shipyard, Angelo always did it to the best of his ability. When we were younger, we were shoveling snow in our neighborhood. We started to shovel a lady’s walk. When we were nearly done, the lady came out and said she changed her mind and wasn’t going to pay us. Angelo, not willing to take this lying down, said, ‘Let’s put the snow back!’ So, that’s what we did until she came out again and paid us for our labor. We then re-shoveled the snow we put back.”
“My dad was happy when Angelo began working at the shipyard,” remembers Dominick. “Paul also landed a job at the Navy base and they would all go to work together.”
George Dluhos, now in Turnersville, was also a relocated New Yorker when he and Angelo became friends. “We would do anything for each other,” he says. “We would go to New York and visit our old neighborhoods. We had a great time going back and forth together. I would say he loved music more than anything but girls weren’t far behind. He was a happy-go-lucky guy.”
In 1967, the draft played an important part in the decisions of most young men. Paul Giacobbe remembers. “Angelo did not really like the line of work at the ship fitting shop. He looked for other jobs but couldn’t find something that he wanted to make his life’s work. He was ‘draft bait’, so he decided to ‘push up his draft’ to get it out of the way. Like many others of that era, he planned to go to college under the G.I. bill after he did his bit.”
“Angelo decided to make the best of it,” says Dominick. “I remember watching his boot camp graduation. He was very proud. He stood there with his shoulders back and his chest out.”
Angelo enlisted in January of 1968, and by May, was on his way to Vietnam. “He had thirty days leave after advanced infantry training,” Dominick continues. “That was the best thirty days of my life and I didn’t know it. I remember the day he was leaving for Vietnam. Mom was very upset but I was not worried because I felt he was a strong person and would make it back.”
Angelo was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry of the 4th Infantry Division. The unit operated in the central highlands, about two hundred miles north of Saigon.
“He was very ‘gung-ho’,” says George Dluhos. “He loved it and was very proud to be in the service. We exchanged many letters.”
“Angelo believed that communism was a totalitarian form of government,” Paul adds. “He didn’t like appeasement and thought communist expansionism should be stopped in Vietnam.”
“He wrote us several letters,” Dominick recalls. “He was always concerned about us and how we were doing. He led us to believe he was safe and things were going to be fine. But I began to realize it was no joke there. He was in the action from the start and he kept telling me it was like being in hell and heaven at the same time. All the killing and fighting was hell, but the country, the mountains and surrounding nature were like heaven.”
“He said it rained every day and it was very uncomfortable. Everything was wet and muddy. While in the bush or away from their home base, they had no showers, clean water or clean clothes.”
Dominick continues. “In his last letter to me, he told me a story. His platoon was on a patrol and came to a small stream. The commander asked if anyone could swim and to check the stream to see if it was passable. Being a good swimmer, Angelo said, ‘I’ll check it out’. He jumped into the water and went straight to the bottom. To his surprise, the stream was very deep. With the weight of all his gear and weapon, he almost drowned. In the process, he lost his gun. After that, he was given a grenade launcher. He said that it was an unbelievable weapon.”
“In that same letter,” Dominick says. “He told me never to come to Vietnam. That we were fighting for people who didn’t want us there. I think my brother knew me and felt if something happened to him, I would want to go there to get even. He never wanted me to be in a situation like that. He stressed over and over for me to go to college and stay away from Nam.”
On, August 19, 1968, Angelina Giacobbe had a dream. “My mother awoke and was crying,” Dominick remembers. “I went to her and asked what the problem was. She said, ‘I think something bad has happened to your brother’. I said, ‘He’s all right, don’t worry’. She told me she had a dream of her mother and the Blessed Mother Mary saying everything was okay. Her mother had always told her that if you dream of the Blessed Mother, somebody close to you died. I didn’t believe her. I kept saying, ‘Mom, he’s strong, he’ll be fine’. But she kept crying. Each night, Mom cried.”
“When the Army car pulled up to the house, Mom went to pieces. She immediately said, ‘They’re here to tell us your brother is dead’. I said, ‘No, Mom. Let’s wait and see’. The two Army officers came into the house and said Angelo was missing in action. My mother just cried. I said, ‘Don’t worry, he’ll be okay. You’ll see.’ She knew in her heart, there was no hope. The officers returned and told us they found his body and that he was killed in battle on August 19th. I, myself, was devastated by the news. I was only seventeen. But it was Mom who took it the worst.”
Angelo’s unit was on a ‘search-and-destroy’ mission near Ban Me Thout. They encountered a large North Vietnamese force and air support was called in. Don Turner, now of Frazier Park, California, was there that day.
“I was in the first squad of Alpha Company,” he says. “I don’t remember what squad Angelo was in. Angelo and I pulled OP (outer perimeter) guard duty a couple of times prior to August 19, the day we walked into the ambush. He was a nice guy; squared away. The day of the ambush, in all the confusion of the battle, I got separated from my squad and found myself lying next to Angelo. We were there a few minutes when I finally saw members of my own squad. I wish I could remember what we said to each other but I can’t. I know someone screwed up and that is what ultimately caused Angelo’s death. If it’s any comfort to the family, Angelo did not suffer at all. On that day, our company suffered more casualties by our own fire than by the enemy.”
The air support was immediately called in on the enemy. Smoke canisters were deployed to mark the Americans’ position. After the first pass made by the attack aircraft, the smoke drifted. On the second pass over the area, the aircraft mistakenly delivered machine gun fire into the wrong location. The ‘friendly fire’ took several lives, including Angelo’s.
“I hate that euphemism,” Paul says. “I think of it as the fog and confusion of war. It was the saddest day when the soldiers came to our door. The image of my father standing there, hearing the worst news of his life, will remain with us forever.”
Barbara Giacobbe adds, “After all these years, it is still hard for me to believe he died in such a violent manner. He was, and is, my beloved hero. I will love him and cherish him always.”
George Dluhos lost thirteen friends in Vietnam. Angelo was the closest. “He could’ve done something,” he says. “He will always be in my thoughts. He was a great guy.” He pauses, then adds, “There’s no other way to say it.”
Paul Giacobbe reflects on his feelings, then and now. “I lost my best friend and felt a void in my life. He did what he felt was the right and honorable thing. As you move through life, marry, have children and experience the trials and tribulations, you begin to realize what a truly profound loss Angelo’s death was. Before Angelo died, my mother used to sing old forties songs when she did the dishes. She never sang again. It wasn’t until she had grandchildren, starting in 1975, that she really started living again.”
Dominick Giacobbe finds himself trying to live up to some pretty lofty ideals. “Angelo was a great person with morals and high values for his country, family and friends,” he says now. “His death has been a positive inspiration in my life. I have always pushed myself to be honest, caring and a good family man on his behalf. In many ways, I feel blessed by him. I have dedicated all my success to him and I feel his spirit is with me.”
Angelo Giacobbe was buried in Beverly National Cemetery. A beautiful memorial park, located on Ganttown Road in Washington Township, was dedicated in his honor on September 27, 1997.
In tribute to his best friend and twin brother, Paul paraphrases a bible passage. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his family, his friends and his country.”
Excerpt from They Were Ours: Gloucester County’s Loss in Vietnam
by John Campbell
Used with permission of author
Sources: The Giacobbe Family, John Campbell and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024
