An Italian immigrant adopted by Davenport paid his citizenship dues in full at Normandy.

Amedeo L. Lucchesi was born in 1920 in San Marino, Italy, to Mr. and Mrs. Lucchesi. The date the Lucchesi family immigrated to the United States is not known, but they ultimately settled in Sunnyvale, California. Amedeo completed grammar school and two years of high school in Santa Clara County.

Sometime prior to 1943, Lucchesi moved to Davenport in Santa Cruz County and worked on a farm in the north coast area. During this period, Lucchesi met and married Mary Modolo whose family lived in Davenport.

Amedeo was inducted into the US Army on August 6, 1943, and was trained at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, and Camp Phillips, Kansas. His first assignment was with the 42nd or Rainbow Division, but he was later transferred to the 314th infantry Regiment of the 79th Infantry Division.

On March 22, 1944, Lucchesi and the 314th left Camp Phillips bound for England. They arrived in the British Isles on April 17. The regiment then began a period of intensive training for the invasion of France.

“On 19 June, orders came down committing the 314th to its first combat; the 313th /315th were assigned to attack from the north (the former position of the 90th Division) bypassing Valognes to the west, while the 314th night-moved to an area near Binneville. At 0600, 2nd Btn jumped off towards its objective to seize the ridge at Croix Jacob, outside Negreville. They took this position with little trouble.”

On June 20, 1944, Private Amedeo L. Lucchesi was listed as Killed in Action. His remains have not been located, but were likely returned to the United States for burial following the war.

(NARA2; 314th Infantry Regiment, WWII History, http://www.lorwings.net/314/outline1.shtml, [16 September 2008]; SCSn August 10, 1944 1:3)