Joseph Cavaliere’s name is on the 1946 Dedication page, the World War II Plaque at
Hackensack City Hall, and is listed on the Original Wall Unit List with a Gold Star all giving testimony of his giving the ultimate sacrifice during his service in the United States Navy.

The 1940 Federal Census states that Joseph Cavaliere lived at 200 South Main Street.  When I saw where
Joseph Cavaliere lived on South Main Street, it brought the story home what my dad had told me years earlier:

My father and his family lived on South Main Street also and my father had a job sorting mail for the post office at the time after school in 1944 at the age of 16. They asked my father to take a letter to the Cavaliere family addressed from the Federal Government.  My dad did not know what it was for, but I cannot imagine the men who gave it to him did not know, having seen others before, and knowing the grief that would ensue upon delivery. 

My dad said “I brought the letter to their house on the way home from work at the post office, and I handed the letter to his mom and she opened it and just broke down hysterical crying. I didn’t know what to do, (He would have paused in sadness at this point), she just kept crying and crying. They were such nice people.” It was an experience my father never forgot.

Joseph Cavaliere was a seaman 2nd class in the Navy Reserve. Please take note that a Cavaliere relative has a Cavaliere family tree on Ancestry.com and confirms the census and military history of Joseph Cavaliere.

Joseph Cavaliere was missing in action on November 5, 1944 and when dying at sea the ship’s crew holds a ceremony and drops flowers etc. where the incident occurred so you are considered buried at sea. 

George Toriello who supplied the Census information above sent this added information on
June 15, 2019 while going through his files:

Bob, been going thru many of my HHS files and came upon more info for this veteran. On the website, it shows he was 'missing in action'. I received his certificate of death from the National Archives.

b. 15DEC1924
Enlisted 3JUN1943
d. 5NOV1944

He was serving on the U.S.S. South Dakota (BB~57) and suffered shrapnel wounds in the neck and chest during an aerial bombardment while serving in the Pacific theater.

Click here to view USS South Dakota (BB 57) ship and information on its service.

He was given a Christian burial at sea.

Written by:
Bob Meli
July 7, 2018

Let us never forget the seamen’s sacrifice.