Joseph T. Angelo (16 February, 1896 – 23 July, 1978) was an American

veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in an job, occupation or Craft, field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in the military, armed forces. A topic o ...

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. Prior to joining the U.S. Army, Angelo worked for the Du Pont Powderworks, and was later involved in the

Bonus Army The Bonus Army was a group of 43,000 demonstration (protest), demonstrators—17,000 veterans of United States in World War I, U.S. involvement in World War I, their families, and affiliated groups—who gathered in Washington, D.C., in mid-193 ...

movement of the 1930s.

War service

Angelo was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during the

Meuse–Argonne offensive The Meuse–Argonne offensive (also known as the Meuse River–Argonne Forest offensive, the Battles of the Meuse–Argonne, and the Meuse–Argonne campaign) was a major part of the final Allies of World War I, Allied Offensive (military), offe ...

on September 26, 1918, as the Colonel's

orderly In healthcare, an orderly (also known as a ward assistant, nurse assistant or healthcare assistant) is a hospital attendant whose job consists of assisting medical and nursing staff with various nursing and medical interventions. These duties a ...

(batman) with 304th Tank Brigade, commanded by future General George S. Patton. During the battle, in an exposed position Patton was seriously wounded by a machine gun. Showing great courage under enemy fire, Angelo dragged Patton to safety. He had thus saved the life of a man who would one day become an American legend. The citation for his DSC reads: In the spring of 1919, an interview appeared in American newspapers in which Patton declared Angelo "without doubt the bravest man in the American Army. I have never seen his equal." According to the interviewer, Angelo began "blushing furiously" as he related the following details:

Great Depression and Bonus Army

In 1932, while Patton continued his path on his famous military career, Angelo had returned to civilian life. He was unemployed and suffering along with many other veterans from the effects of the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

. As a result, he joined the Bonus Army movement of First World War veterans demanding monetary compensation for their roles in the war. The particular issue was that these veterans had been promised compensation but they were not due to receive it until 1948 (the money was eventually awarded in 1936). Given the realities of the depression, veterans such as Angelo demanded the money be paid immediately. The veterans marched on Washington D.C., setting up camps in order to protest against the administration of President

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was the 31st president of the United States, serving from 1929 to 1933. A wealthy mining engineer before his presidency, Hoover led the wartime Commission for Relief in Belgium and ...

Last meeting

On July 28, 1932, troops were ordered into the camps to quell the protest. In the resulting melee, two veterans were killed and many were injured. The commanders of the operation included

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...

, and Patton, the man saved by Angelo so many years before. In the aftermath of the assault on the camps, Angelo approached Patton, but was harshly rejected. The last known words between the men were uttered by Patton: "I do not know this man. Take him away and under no circumstances permit him to return." He explained to his fellow officers that Angelo had "dragged me from a shell hole under fire. I got him a decoration for it. Since the war, my mother and I have more than supported him. We have given him money. We have set him up in business several times. Can you imagine the headlines if the papers got word of our meeting here this morning. Of course, we'll take care of him anyway."Hirshson, Stanley P. (2002). ''General Patton''. New York: Harper Collins Publishers

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Angelo, Joe United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army soldiers Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) 1896 births 1978 deaths Military personnel from Camden, New Jersey