World War II battle veteran honored on 100th birthday

It was a special kind of birthday celebration held Dec. 1 at Azalea Estates in Fayetteville. Turning 100 on Dec. 11, World War II veteran Salvatore Bordonaro, Sr., was surrounded by family and friends and a number of representatives of local veterans organizations.

Salvatore Bordonaro, Sr. born Dec. 11, 1918, served in the U.S. Army, beginning in October 1942 at age 22, said daughter Gina Baumgartner, noting that her dad was with the Army’s 30th Infantry Division when the force invaded Omaha Beach in Normandy D-Day Plus 7, code name “Operation Overlord” in June 1944.

“Dad marched through France, Belgium, Holland and finally Germany, losing many fellow soldiers along the way,” Baumgartner explained. “His infantry was in the Battle of Saint-Lo in July of 1944 in which he was a recipient of a Purple Heart for being hit by friendly fire.”

The Battle of Saint-Lo was one of three in the Battle of the Hedgerows, with the town of Saint-Lo, considered a strategic crossroads, having fallen to Germany in 1940.

“My dad was later accepted into the 15th Special Service. He played the upright bass in the band and performed for the troops in the front lines and played for the officer’s club. He performed beside Mickey Rooney, Frank McCue and Marlene Dietrich,” said Baumgartner. “Six months after being accepted into the 15th Special Service, Germany surrendered, ending WWII.”

Her dad received his honorable discharge in October 1945 as a private first class. Baumgartner said her dad’s love of music did not wane, explaining that he played in a band until age 96.

A disabled veteran and member of American Legion Post 45 in Canton, Bordonaro has four children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Along with a host of family and friends at the birthday party were members of local VFW and American Legion groups, presenting Bordonaro with a number of declarations and tokens of their appreciation for his service to his country.

The Sgt. Clyde Thomason Medal of Honor Detachment of the Marine Corps was also on hand to honor a fellow warrior. David Epps, Sharpsburg, commandant of the detachment, presented Bordonaro with a certificate of appreciation recognizing his services to “the Armed Forces of the United States and his services to the United States of America.” Epps said, “It was an honor to meet this man and say ‘thank you’ for his service and sacrifice.”