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| JOE'S STORY, PAGE 3 |
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| Visitors since 1/24/04 |
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| As I stood at the grave I noticed that Joe's mother, who died in 1976, was buried next to him. On the opposite side of the family stone was Joe's uncle, Salvatore Di Dato, and then there was the name Frank with a birth date but no death date. I figured correctly that this was Joe's brother and the lack of a death date told me he was still alive. If I could find Joe's brother than he would be able to answer all my questions. I left the cemetery determined to find out more. As soon as I arrived home I called my father and asked if he knew who this Joseph De Cusati was and how we were related. He said that Joe was the son of his uncle Emiddio, my Grandfather's brother. That would make Joe my father's cousin and my 1st cousin once removed. Dad also said that Joe was a few years older than him (7 years) and he did not know him very well. He also said that like most Italian families, Joe was closer to his mother's side, the Di Dato family. I asked if there was a brother named Frank and Dad said that there was, but that Frank had suffered some kind of breakdown and had been in an institution for years. He had no idea where. As I hung up the phone I realized that my task had just gotten harder. I knew Joe's dad was dead, his mom was dead and his brother was who knows where. |
| My father also told me that Joe's father, Emiddio and his mother, Anna divorced at some point. My aunt knew Emiddio's second wife and would inquire about a photo and some information. Due to other things in life I put off researching Joe for awhile. Then came Christmas. I walked into my parents house on Christmas Eve of 1989 and out of the corner of my eye I saw a photo of a young man in uniform laying on the table. I knew right off that it was Joe! I checked with my dad and he said that his sister Carmel had gotten the photo from Felicia De Cusati, who was Emiddio's 2nd wife. Emiddio was an artist and photographer by trade and it is believed that he took the photo I was now looking at. The photo was housed in a gold wooden frame with black highlights. It showed Joe when he graduated from gunnery school, wearing Gunners wings and Corporal stripes. That photo is the one above to the left. Next morning when I woke up the photo was staring at me from my bureau. I looked into that young face and promised Joe that I would find out all I could about him and that he would never be forgotten again. |
| This is the first photo of Joe that I ever saw. It is believed that it was taken by his father, Emiddio. I am not sure, but I believe this photo was taken for Joe's graduation from gunnery school. |
| Portrait of Joe De Cusati by C. Statton DiFiori. Oil on canvas, 12" x 15 1/2" The B-24 in the background, Linda Lou, is the plane Joe was on when he was killed. |
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