b.9/1/23 d.10/25/44 WWII White St. St. Philip ’37. CHS ’41. Vince liked dramatics in high school and was a member of the gym club. He was employed by Pittsburgh Brass Company before enlisting in the Navy in 1943. He attended boot camp at Sampson, NY. Deployed on Destroyer USS Johnston as water tender 3rd class. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and died when his ship was sunk October 25th, 1944, in the Battle off Samar, preceding the retaking of Leyte in the Philippines. He survived the sinking, but was attacked and killed by sharks. That is how his death was described in the telegram to his mother, Nellie. She had nightmares about his death for the rest of her life. The battle, the sinking and the survival of Vince is described in the book, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, written by James Hornfischer. Vince’s father, who served in WWI in the Italian Army, owned a barbershop in Crafton with his younger brother, aka “Junior.” Vince was 21 years old.