US AIRBORNE

Many thank you to Joe Viserta have answered the questions. Thank you to Dominique for having collected the testimony of Joe and Doris for having asked the questions orally.

Joseph L Viserta was born January 5, 1921 in Port Jervis, New York in an immigrant Italian family. The family has 6 children. Joseph has 4 brothers and one sister. It is the second family. After attending classes in primary schools Catholic, worked with his grandfather in a company result from the age of 16. These parents were already a booth where they sold fruit company. 

In October 1942, then aged 21, was called to serve in the armed forces. He attended basic training in an infantry unit stationed in South Carolina for a year before attending training in a unit of Alpine skiers. Then he volunteered in 1943 to the Airborne troops. He followed the training paratroopers at Fort Benning, Georgia where he joined Company C, 551st PIB. His first jump that went very well, the only jump which was really worried was the night jump.For the rest, he relied on God. Even if he bent his own parachute. At that time, the 551st PIB amounted to Panama Canal and would be deployed in North Africa.
He was sent with the Battalion in Sicily for the upcoming battle maneuvers in Sicily.
On August 15, 1944, the 551st GDP made his first jump of battle near the town of Draguignan. During the night the battalion infiltrated 5km through the German lines to secure the city.
"I remember the beauty of the Italian Alps. But there have remained only 1 month! "

Member of C Company shortly after the jump Operation Dragoon.

After fighting in the south of France e Joe and his comrades in the 551st PIB rest were sent to Laon in northern France.The Battalion had scarcely time to replenish the Battle of the Bulge begins.
On December 21, 1944, the 551st PIB is sent to the front and assigned to the 30th Infantry Division reinforcing positions in and around Francorchamps, Ster and Stavelot, Belgium.On Christmas Day, the battalion was attached to the 82nd Airborne near Rahier, Belgium in support of the 508th PIR.
From 1 January of intense German artillery fire slowly decimated the ranks of the battalion while it was advancing through the Ardennes forest in order to consolidate positions in the West of River Salm.

On 9 January, because of excessive losses in battle, the actual 551st PIB had fallen to a company.Of the 700 men only 120 had survived.Therefore, the 551^stPIB moved to Juslenville or the unit was disbanded, the survivors were distributed among the units of the 82nd Airborne Division.
Joe Viserta was incorporated in a unit of 504th PIR.With this unit he visited Germany where he parked along the Salm River.Joe there was a relapse of malaria he had contracted in Sicily.

He was evacuated to England at the Cambridge hospital over 4 months later, by boat, he was back in the USA.
During his stay in the hospital, Joe remembers very well a jump drive failed.
"They had completely missed their DZ!I remember the rustled the body touching the building. Of the 30 guys, many died.It was a leap day.This gave me a dirty feeling for a long time."

On December 2, 1945, he was discharged.Joseph Viserta was awarded 4 Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, the Victory Medal, and finally the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to all men of 551st PIB.
Aged 24 years, Joe had no interest in the GI Bill, he was just happy to be back home.He resumed work with his grandfather until he became a truck driver.

He married Rose in April 1946 which gave him 2 children, a daughter and a son.His son served 2 years in Vietnam in the 101st Airborne in time as Platoon Sergeant.
"When my son came back, I helped to build his garage car repair and troubleshooting with a workshop.I worked with him.Then he founded a recycling company."
At 89 years, Joe is still working in the recycling plant of his son.It has three small children and 4 grandchildren.
In 2003, a misfortune touches him, after 60 years of marriage, he lost his wife.
In the war he retains only one thing:
"If it was to do again, I would not change a day of my life!"

Upon his return, Joe met Dominique, an 551^st PIR’s admirer.