Gloucester veteran Anthony Gattuso never could have imagined the twists and turns his life would take from growing up in a small village in Italy to his retirement in Virginia. His is a story of bravery, love and the pursuit of a better life.  Anthony’s father left for the United States in 1933, just six months after his son was born, to seek his fortune. Communication with the home country became difficult, and then impossible, with the outbreak of World War II.

Once the war was over, Anthony’s father sent a Red Cross message to his family in Italy to let them know he was okay. His family in Italy sent the same back to him. His father also completed paperwork to allow the family to come to the U.S. In the meantime, Gattuso’s two older sisters in Italy got married, leaving just him and his mother to travel overseas. Misfortune struck in 1946 when his mother became ill and passed away shortly thereafter. “That left me alone to come to the States,” Gattuso said.