There is a street off Lodi Street by St. Anthony’s and St. Francis Church in Hackensack named BRISCOLINA Street. My father, Tom Meli, remembers Mrs. Briscolina getting the news of her son’s death, and how she cried so uncontrollably.
George Toriello supplied this information and he mentioned his father knew the Briscolina family who lived on 84 Troast Street in Hackensack. I had never known until I received this information that he died on June 6, 1944 during the D-Day invasion of Omaha Beach Normandy, France. A neighbor just around the corner on Bonhomme Street Hackensack, Louis D’Arminio, only 20 years old at the time, was also ready to land on Omaha Beach as a medic that same day. Louis D’Arminio as I write is still alive today at the age of 96.
Charles Briscolina was born on January 3, 1908 while living in Lodi, but the family had moved to Troast Street in Hackensack and he was an employee of the City of Hackensack, when the 1940 Census was done. The draft age in 1943 was 18 to 37 years old, so at the age of 35 in 1943, Charles Briscolina would have been on the outer edge of draft age. Charles Briscolina registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, but was not drafted. Charles Briscolina decided to enlist as the war continued on November 6, 1943 into the United States Navy. Charles Briscolina became a Seaman 1st Class and was last mustered in on May 31, 1944 to serve on a LCT Flotilla Seventeen, which is a Landing Craft Tank. Six days later on D-Day June 6, 1944, while involved in the Omaha Beach landing Charles Briscolina was Killed in Action receiving the Purple Heart. Charles Briscolina is listed on the
Plaque at City Hall in Hackensack.
Charles Briscolina is buried in Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge, United Kingdom Plot F Row 4 Grave 25.
Click here to view Cambridge American Cemetery Certificate.
Let us always be grateful for Charles Briscolina’s sacrifice.
Click here to view material on LCT landing crafts information from <NAVSOURCE>
Click here to view street sign in honor of Charles Briscolina in Hackensack New Jersey.
Written by:
Bob Meli
February 16, 2020
