Joseph Anthony Longo was born on September 21, 1916, in Guardia Lombardi in the Province of Avellino, Italy, and arrived in the United States at age 11 in 1927. The Longo family settled in Scranton, Pa. He entered the US Army on June 27, 1945, and served until August 5, 1946. He served at the Infantry Replacement Training Center at Fort McClellan, Ala.

As first cook, Mr. Longo supervised and directed the activities of 12 mess hall workers in the preparation of meals for a company of 200 enlisted men. He also assigned personnel to duties and enforced kitchen sanitation regulations.