Feb 7, 1951 & Jan 15, 1957

Caruso, O'Malley, Pileggi

Unit Operations

Korea mid 1951 to mid 1952 with Easy Company’s 2^nd platoon. 3^rd squad. Carried the Browning Automatic Rifle for over eight months and reluctantly gave it up because I was ordered to do so after being made a fire-team leader.

Awards/Badges

Good conduct, Korea & UN Medals, Combat Action Ribbat, National Defense & two Medals Korea Gov.

Any comments or anecdotes you’d like to add

I served with some of the best men in the world.

Most Memorable Moment

Wanting to see some combat action, Robert C. Rice and Donald Francis Kirk, two sailors, jumped ship and joined our platoon. Rice, from Grass Valley, California, joined his high school classmate, Donald Young, who was a member of our platoon. Kirk, an Indian from the Klamath Oregon tribes, also bored with ship duty, accompanied Rice in the adventure. The two AWOL sailors stayed with us for about a month on the lines pulling patrols and ambushes with the rest of us. They reluctantly returned to their ship after being convinced it would go hard on our officers and NCOs if they stayed. They received court-martials, were fined and did some brig time, a punishment that none of us thought was at all fair. 

Career After USMC

Served nearly 28 years on the Oregon State Police as a patrol officer. Retired as a lieutenant in charge of the Department’s data processing section. 

Current Affiliations

Fleet Reserve Association, First Marine Division Association and the Columbia River Chapter, Marine Corps Association.

Family Information

Have five children. Stephen (D), Thomas, Angela, Richard and Joseph. Eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Hobbies

Traveling and singing. I sing second bass with Festival Chorale Oregon, have served as the Chorale’s president and I currently arrange tours for the Chorale. The chorale has performed overseas and in Carnegie Hall.  www.open.org/fco 

I’m also very active with church, local schools, traveling and hosting.

Degrees/Schools

Current Address

Vito (Ted) Pileggi 

2073 Quail Run Avenue

   Stayton, OR 97383

  503/769-6670

      easytwoseven@goldcom.com