Bennie T. Desalvo

Bennie T. DeSalvo, 93, of Peace Dale, RI, passed away September 18th. Born September 15th, 1917, he was one of twelve children of James and Rosalie DeSalvo of Stamford, Ct. He enlisted in 1943 and served in the European Theater as a co-pilot of a B-17 in the 390th Bomb Group. When his bomber was shot down over Holland on January 4th, 1944, he held the crippled plane aloft long enough for the crew to bail out, and is credited with saving their lives that day. He spent the remainder of the war as a POW in a Stalag camp in Germany, and then attended Middlebury College on the GI Bill, graduating in 1948. He retired from the Army Reserves in 1977 as a Major. He lived in Simsbury, Ct. for over fifty years, raising six children with his wife, Nancy. A well respected teacher at William Hall High School in West Hartford for thirty years, he taught High School Spanish and coached football as well. A sports fan, outdoor enthusiast, and tireless worker, he seldom sat down. He valued family above all. His devoted wife of 61 years, Nancy cared for Bennie in his final years in Peace Dale. Besides his wife, he is survived by sister, Rosalie Pironto and brother-in-law Frank Pironto, sister-in-law Fran DeSalvo, son William and daughter-in-law Jodie, son James, son Christopher, son Andrew and daughter-in-law Cindy, daughter Melissa Berg and son-in-law John Berg, daughter Sally Sullivan and son-in-law James Sullivan, and grandchildren Frank, Bennie, Ciro, Debbie, Carl, Nick, Julia, and Caz. The funeral will be held Wednesday at 11:00 AM in the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield, RI. Burial with military honors will be in the RI Veterans Cemetery.