Michael Aiello
Staff Sergeant Michael Aiello, 35, of Springfield, IL died during Operation Market Garden in the battle of Kiekberg Woods, Netherlands on September 30, 1944. He was born on July 10, 1909 in St. Louis, Missouri to Gaspare “Jasper” and Grazia “Grace” Randazzo Aiello.
The youngest of 16 children, Michael was baptized into the Catholic Faith at St. Charles Borromeo Church in St. Louis. In 1912, he moved with his family to Sherman, IL, where he attended Sherman Grade School until becoming a coal miner for Peabody Mine Co. at the age of 13. Michael eventually moved to Springfield with his family, where he lived and worked as a coal miner, as well as owned and operated a restaurant.
Michael entered the Army in 1942 and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant in the Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR) under the 101st & 82nd Airborne. He was involved in the successful D-Day invasion in June, 1944. In September, 1944 he was a member of Company G, 401st GIR, which was assigned to the 325th GIR for Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. It is here that he died in a ferocious battle at Kiekberg Woods near the Reichwald Forest on September 30, 1944. S/Sgt. Aiello was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Survivors included, his father, brothers, Dominic, Anthony, and Joseph “Pete”. Michael was preceded in death by his mother, brothers, Phillip, Jasper, Salvatore “Bob”, and Frank; one infant brother and seven infant sisters. Current survivors include one niece, Rose Palazzolo of Rockford, one nephew, Jasper “Jessie” Aiello of California, Godson Michael S. Aiello of Springfield, and over 100 great-grand, gg-grand, & ggg-grand nieces & nephews.
Graveside Service: 10:00 am, Saturday, October 28, 2017 at Camp Butler National Cemetery where full military honors will be conducted.
Preferred memorial contributions to Interveterans Burial Detail of Sangamon County c/o Staab Funeral Home, 1109 South 5th Street, Springfield, IL 62703.
Please see Procession Details below:
WEDNESDAY: OCTOBER 25, 2017
TIMELINE
Updated as each step of the journey is completed
3:20 Planeside Honors; Staff Sergeant Michael Aiello is now in the custodial care of the Staab Family.
3:40 Depart St. Louis Lambert International Airport
4:00 Cross Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge
5:30 Rest Area, Mile Marker 64; Patriot Guard Refuels and Joins the Group
5:40 Sangamon County Line
6:15 Rest Area, Mile Marker 102; Family Members and First Responders Assemble for Procession
6:30 Sherman, Business Route 55
6:40 Peoria Road/Ninth Street, Springfield
6:45 Staff Sergeant Aiello’s Childhood Home (next to old Stevie’s Latin Village on Historic Route 66)
7:00 Capitol Avenue
7:05 Staab Funeral Home
7:10 Honor Detail Carries Flag Draped Coffin inside Staab Funeral Home
SATURDAY: OCTOBER 28, 2017
Scheduled to leave STAAB – SPRINGFIELD by 9:30 AM with arrival at
CAMP BUTLER NATIONAL CEMETERY by 10:00 AM
Service Information
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A fellow vet posted on 10/26/17
In May 1974, I was assigned to the 1/509th ABCT (Vincenza, Italy) when the unit jumped into Eindhoven, Holland to commemorate the 30th anniversary of D-Day and Operation Market Garden. Before we left Italy, we were advised to take some military patches to hand out as souvenirs. There were over 50,000 Dutch citizens on the drop zone (literally) to welcome our arrival, and I ran out of American flag patches, as well as unit patches (especially the ones I still had from the 101st) within a matter of minutes. Someone 'appropriated' my helmet before I could get it secured, but the memories I have from that experience was well worth the $20 it cost me to replace it. After a brief unit formation, we were dismissed and allowed to spend the remainder of the day in the city/among the people. It was almost impossible to buy a meal or a drink, because the Dutch people insisted on paying. Many of the troops were invited into their homes for meals and celebration. Virtually everyone I met spoke English, most very fluently. After I asked one of the citizens about it, he explained that English was a required subject for every Dutch student, because they wanted to honor the memory of the American soldiers that fought to liberate their country from the Germans. Although I traveled to many areas of Europe during my time in the military, I never felt more appreciated, or proud to be an American soldier, as I did in Eindhoven. So, to the family of SSG Michael Aielleo, please take comfort in knowing that 30 years after he fought to protect the Dutch, they never forgot his sacrifice and were still honoring his service.