This is the face of a hero, my hero, my great love, my father, Dominick M. DeTommaso who served as a Tech Sgt. with Company B, 294th Combat Engineers from 1943 to 1945.

Dad was a WWII Veteran who received the Purple Heart for a wound received on D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. The Purple Heart is now worn and tattered. But now over 70 years old, there is no possession of mine that is more priceless and meaningful to me.

My beloved father only talked to me about his wartime experiences. Although he enlisted, he most certainly would have been drafted. Dad’s worst fear was that he would never see his mother, father or sisters again. The worst experience for him was seeing his best friend Larry being blown to shreds in front of him on Utah Beach. He could never go near water after that and suffered horrible flashbacks and nightmares. It was very hard for him. He suffered with PTSD most of his life and rarely spoke of it. Once we were talking about the concentration in Germany (Nordhauser). I said Daddy, “what did you see”, he said I saw so many dead, murdered Jews being pushed in a big ditch with a tractor. He said the memory of that would haunt me my entire life. He was crying, and so was I. I couldn’t believe what I heard. He said, “Rosanne, these were human beings, starved to death and shot to death.” He said every soldier in his unit was crying.

When he returned from the war in 1945, he said that he felt like a superstar. America welcomed all of them home like they were celebrities. But Dad also added that it was unlike the poor treatment of the Viet Nam Veterans who were spit at and treated like outcasts. At first the transition for Dad from the military back to civilian life was difficult. But when he met my beautiful mother who became his wife, life got better. They were married 64 years. One of my most treasured pictures is this family photo circa 1960 with my handsome father, my beautiful mom, my baby brother and me. It is priceless to me.

My father, who, if he had one dollar left in his pocket and you needed it more, he would give it to you. I loved him more than life itself and will love him for eternity. When he died, part of me went with him.

Soar high old soldier; rest well with the Good Lord. I miss you and love you every second of the day.
~ Rosanne DeTommaso Romano

“There is sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief…and unspeakable love.”
~ Washington Irving

We are grateful to Rosanne for sharing her father’s service and story with Comes A Soldier’s Whisper, where we are all connected.

My Passion Is Sharing Veteran Stories: jennylasala.com/

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