Recognizing United States Army World War II Veteran Guido P.
Floor Speech
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Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding constituent from my district, Guido P. DiFrancesco. He is a current resident of the Lutheran Community of Telford, Pennsylvania. Born in Philadelphia on December 17, 1924, Guido is celebrating his 100th birthday today.
He grew up on Mechanic Street in the Germantown section of Philadelphia with his four brothers and five sisters. At age 8, he constructed his own shoeshine box and started his own shoeshine business to help provide food for his parents and siblings. Guido had an amazing singing voice as a child, and he cultivated his love of music when he could by performing at school functions, weddings, and local night clubs. He attended Germantown High School until the Depression required him to leave high school and seek employment to help support his family.
As a teenager, he held several jobs including the Philadelphia Steel Mill and the famous Victor Harmonica factory where he learned to construct and play the harmonica before he entered the United States Army in 1941. He sailed to England on the RMS Mauretania where he entertained the troops with his gift of singing. He landed in Weymouth, England and prepared for the invasion of Normandy.
On D-Day, with G-Company, he landed on Omaha Beach with the First Infantry Division (The Big Red One), 18th Infantry Regiment. He was a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) Marksman and fought across France for 6 months in hedge row to hedge row battles until he finally reached Belgium. He became deathly ill and was hospitalized there and then transferred to a hospital in England. While recuperating in England, he entertained the patients with his singing. He eventually came back to America and continued his convalescence and his singing at the Convalescent Hospital in Camp Upton, New York until he was honorably discharged and returned home in the spring of 1943.
After he returned home, he married and lived on Boyer Street in Germantown and eventually moved to Horsham, Pennsylvania in 1952. He held several manufacturing positions including a plant manager position at Huntingdon Industries for 30 years and Mac Electric in Glenside for 10 years. He was also self-employed as a home-improvement specialist until he officially retired at age 85. Guido was an involved member of the Warrington Lions for many years and worked tirelessly at their events.
Guido finally received his high school diploma at age 93. His work ethic and ingenuity are exemplary. He was devoted to his first wife, Rose, who died in 1976 and his second wife, Kitty, who died in 2019. He is a proud parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent of a blended family including a daughter and son-in-law, a stepson, two stepdaughters and sons-in-law, ten grandchildren, and twenty-five great-grandchildren. He is a loving role model to his family and is a living history of someone who served our country so valiantly.
Our Nation owes Guido a debt that can never be repaid. We wish Guido countless blessings, and I remain deeply appreciative to Guido DiFrancesco for his life of service and sacrifice for our community, district, and country. His commitment to his fellow neighbors, veterans, and service members alike is a testament to his character and spirit. I am more than honored to recognize him today and wish him nothing but the best for his 100th birthday and the future beyond.
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