World War II Veteran Attilio S. Aloia talks to students at Byron-Bergen Sr. High School about his war experiences.Byron-Bergen Sr. High School recently welcomed World War II Veteran Attilio S. Aloia, father of Byron-Bergen Elementary Teacher Andrea Stasko and Financial Attorney Gregory Aloia, to speak to students in Art Rohe’s WWII history class.
Aloia is a veteran of the European conflict and addressed students with his first-hand accounts of training exercises and war experiences. He described to students combat and the German soldiers, and the harsh living conditions as a front line soldier.
Aloia was assigned to the 97th Infantry Division where he served in France, Germany, and what is today the Czech Republic from 1943 to 1945. The 97th Division is known to have been credited with firing the last shot in the European Theater of Operations during WWII. He was awarded the Bronze Star and two other special medals.
Born in the Bronx, Aloia was inducted into the army at age 19. Aloia went to college on the GI Bill as a biology and chemistry major and worked as a textile chemist for 38 years.
