Raymond P. Fiola #1399
Chapter excerpt:
On a cold Christmas Eve in 1924, Phillip Fiola and his wife,
Anna, received an early present- a son, they chose to name Raymond Phillip. Phillip
Fiola was of Italian decent and, according to relatives worked as a local
police officer somewhere in the Bergen County area. Anna was of Czechoslovakian
decent who was a housewife. The couple moved to Wallington, NJ, located in Bergen
County. Wallington is a small community which was is rich in history. General
George Washington rode through this area and retreated across the Passaic
River, near what today is Gregory Avenue. A hundred years before, the Lenni
Lenape Indians hunted in and around what is now Wallington. The Fiolas had two
children, Raymond and Clara and they raised their children with middle class
values.
Their children
attended grammar school and high school in Wallington. Raymond was average both
socially and academically. He and his sister were growing up at a time in
American history where everyone felt the constraints of the economy. The “Great
Depression” as it came to be known played havoc on American families. Because
the children had not the luxury of toys, they used to play games such as “kick
the can” and “stick ball.” How hard time the Fiola’s were struck by the
economic times can not be determined as they spoke not on the subject.
While in high
school, Raymond or Ray as his friend called him was a member of the Drum and
Bugler team. In typing class, he met a fellow classmate-a girl named Josephine
Taranto. The two fired up a courtship that would endure to adulthood. During
their high school tenure world events cast a dark shadow across the globe. In
their freshman year of 1940, all eyes were on Germany as they occupied Austria;
an event that set into motion a chain of events which led to the Second World
War. In the spring of 1941, the United States began strategic discussions for
possible hostilities as thoughts of avoidance were no longer entertained. The
attack on Pearl Harbor came two weeks before Ray Fiola’s seventeenth birthday. Patriotic
fervor filled the nation and men all over the country began enlisting in the
United States Military. Fiola was no different; He too, felt the calling,
however at seventeen, he needed his parent’s permission. The red blooded
American parents gave their blessing and their son enlisted in the United
States Marine Corps.
During the war,
Fiola had several furloughs in the beautiful and scenic Hawaii. It was a far
cry from the topography of the “Garden State.” Raymond Fiola didn’t talk much
of his wartime exploits; when he did it was with other men. He was old fashion
man and believed some things are best on said.
(c) 2010 John E. O'Rourke
Picture of location where fatal accident occurred in Millstone
(c) 2010 John E. O'Rourke
Ditch car landed in
(c) 2010 John E. O'Rourke
(c) 2010 John E. O'Rourke
No comments:
Post a Comment