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 Emidio
Joseph Falini
was born March 13, 1923. His parents, Dominic Falini and Virginia
Saponaro Falini,
emigrated from Italy, and settled in West Chester. During the war, they
lived at 128 E. Gay St. His father, Dominic, was an entrepreneur as well as an
orthopedic shoemaker by training. He had contracts with colleges for
sports shoes, and made boots for State Troopers. At one point he had
three shoe stores in West Chester, although his son Tullio’s store at 112 S.
High street is most remembered by residents.
Emidio was one of 5 children: Tullio and Anna were older, and Gertrude
(Dolly), and Dominick Jr. were younger.
Emidio was called “Mede” by
his family and “Skeets” by his friends.
Emidio was an active member with his family in St. Agnes Church in West
Chester. He attended St. Aloysius Academy at Villa Maria then located on
Maple Ave across form the present day Henderson High School in West
Chester. Emidio graduated from the academy in 1940, from the eighth
grade. While attending the Academy he was the star of the Track Team,
played the trombone, and acted in plays.
 Emidio was tall, just over six
feet, with blue eyes, some thought he looked like Cary Grant. He was
happy and out-going, and lit up the room. He loved playing cards, and
would sing in the car with his friends.
After graduation from St. Aloysius in 1940, Emidio attended West Chester
High School, class of 1943. West Chester High School was then located on
the northeast corner of Church and Washington Streets. He dated Anna Mae
Davis whom he met at school. He became more serious about his future,
and obtained a part time job at a local ice plant on the first block (ten’s
block) of West Chestnut St. He saved all his money for his future plans of
marrying and building a home in West Chester.
Emidio left high school his Senior year to join the Navy on September 10th
1943 to defend our Nation. He was sent to Sampson, N.Y for basic
training where he was rated third in his class. He received instruction
as a signalman and was sent to Solomon’s Branch Maryland for amphibious
training. He was sent to Corpus Christi, Panama, and San Diego where he
trained with the Marines in amphibious operations.
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Click on each
image
to see a larger version
Top left to right:
Dolly, Mother – Virginia, Tullio
Bottom left to right:
Anna, Emidio
Graduating class:
Villa Maria Academy. Emidio is on 1st row, 5th
from left
Emidio (right) and brother Tullio I in
front of their home while on leave
Emidio with brother Dominick Jr. |
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Emidio was assigned to a
Landing Craft Infantry vessel - LCI(M)-974 - which was sent to Hawaii, then on to New
Guinea.
   LCI’s were small landing ships that could beach
to unload
troops. They are distinguished from Landing craft in that they were too
large to be carried on board transport ships.
Click on each of the above images to
see a larger version.
 LCI’s were 158 feet
long, 23 feet wide, and could beach in 3 feet of water to unload troops.
They displaced 250 tons and carried 200 troops. The crew comprised of 4
officers and 24 men, and could make 12 knots, about the speed of a Liberty
ship.
The LCI(M) was an LCI which was modified as close fire support
ship. LCI(M) carried three 4.2 inch mortars and an Army team to fire
them. Mortars, although short ranged, used an extremely high trajectory,
and were effective against targets hidden behind fortifications.
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Click on the image to see a larger version.
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 Signalman 2nd Class Emidio participated in amphibious operations notably at
Leyte Island in the Philippines. Leyte was the first Island in the
Philippines to be retaken. It is where General Douglas MacArthur waded ashore
October 20, 1944 fulfilling his promise, to the joy of the Filipinos,
announcing to the world “I have returned”.
The landings at Leyte evoked a Japanese response. Japan put into
effect their “Sho” (victory) Plan, and the resulting three pronged Naval
attack intended to crush the amphibious forces, became the largest Naval
Battle in history. LCI(L)-974 shot down an enemy plane during this battle, a
remarkable feat for such a small ship.
Emidio’s ship participated in the landings on Luzon, the largest island
in the Philippines, at Lingayen Gulf, January 1945. His ship pulled back
from the shore for the night. A Japanese Kaiten suicide boat snuck in
under the cover of darkness, and hit LCI(M)-974 around 4 a.m. on January 10th,
1945. The tremendous detonation caused by the explosives in the suicide boat,
and the mortar ammunition, as well as fuel on the LCI, caused the ship to sink
in about six minutes. The crew suffered heavy causalities,. Emidio was
below deck and did not have a chance.
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