Joseph Thomas Tangarie was born on May 29, 1945. His home of record is Hillside, NJ. The son of Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Tangarie, Joseph attended Hillside High –Wilfred Academy. He had three sisters, Carol, Debbie and Michele. In 1958, he received a PBA Gold Medal Award for saving a boy’s life in Hillside and later that year received a National Boy Scout Award.

Joseph was drafted into the US Army where he was a paratrooper in Company D, 1st Battalion, 8th Calvary and attained the rank of Private First Class (PFC/E3). He had planned to open a restaurant with his father after his service in Vietnam.

On March 25, 1968, Tangarie was killed in action during the Tet Offensive. He died as a result of injuries suffered after being struck by a fragment from a friendly rocket. He had been married only five and half weeks earlier.

Joseph was married to Carla Ericsson and they had one daughter, Christine. His mother helped keep his memory alive by closing her eyes and listening to his voice on the three tapes that he sent home from Vietnam. Today, his daughter holds these tapes as her fondest treasure.

Sources: Christine Tangarie Finkelson (daughter), Mrs. Thomas Tangarie (mother) and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024