Peter Saliola of Westfield was among 1,000 U.S. soldiers taken prisoner of war by the Germans.  Saliola, a private first class with the Army’s 9^th Infantry Division, spent the last two years of World War II as a POW in Italy and Germany.  More than six decades later, Rep. Mike Ferguson, R-N.J., presented the 91-year-old Saliola with nine military medals he earned but had never received when the war ended.

“Peter Saliola is a patriot and a hero, and I’m honored to present him with these medals on behalf of a grateful nation,” Ferguson said during a ceremony at Saliola’s home.  “The freedom every American enjoys today is because of the service and sacrifice of veterans like Peter Saliola.”

Saliola’s wife, Frances, contacted Ferguson’s office about obtaining the overdue medals for her husband after reading in a newspaper about another World War II veteran who recently received medals.  After Saliola completed the necessary forms, Ferguson was able to secure the medals within three weeks from the National Personnel Records Center, which is the repository of millions of military personnel, health and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans during the 20th century.

“I’m so happy that my husband has been able to receive these medals after waiting for so long,” Frances Saliola said.  “This means the world to him and to our family.  I’m so pleased that Congressman Ferguson was able to help us secure these medals.  I hope that other families who are in a similar situation can also receive their long-overdue medals, too.”

Before the Battle of Kasserine Pass, Saliola served throughout Africa as U.S. and British forces battled Rommel’s Panzer tank divisions.  After his company shot down a German aircraft, Saliola and a group of soldiers drove Jeeps into the Sahara Desert to see if the pilot had survived the crash.

They did not find the German pilot, but Saliola took a piece of the plane’s shattered windshield, used a knife to shape it into a heart and mailed it to his wife for Valentine’s Day.  The couple still has it and shows it to visitors to their Westfield home.

Ferguson presented Saliola with the Bronze Star Medal; the Prisoner of War Medal; the American Defense Service Medal; the American Campaign Medal; the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars; the World War II Victory Medal; the Combat Infantryman Badge 1^st Award; the Honorable Service Lapel Button of World War II; and the Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar.

Westfield Mayor Andy Skibitsky attended the ceremony with the Saliolas and their son, George, also of Westfield, and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

Saliola has lived in Westfield since 1934 and worked in the garment industry in New York City for 30 years before retiring.

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