Veterans Heritage Project (VHP) Chapter students from Fountain Hills High School conducted their third Veteran interview at Morningstar Senior Living Community.
Written by Debbie Yin, Fountain Hills Marine Corps League Detachment 1439 Adjutant.
Rocco Mittica, a WWII veteran, was drafted in 1943 at age 18, the age of many of the VHP Chapter students!
Born in Hillsville, PA, he comes from a family of veterans. His father served in WWI and his brother was serving in the Navy and studying to be a Japanese interpreter while based in Colorado. Rocco wanted to join the Navy but was denied due to being colorblind.
He travelled by train to his 13-week bootcamp in Erie, PA. He recalls how the train's windows were painted so that the troops were shielded from view. When he arrived at bootcamp, all recruits were told to strip and sit on marble slabs as they awaited their next orders. Rocco recalls a harrowing experience at bootcamp when the dentist on base removed his wisdom teeth. This then caused a serious infection, but luckily, he was able to recover from it.
Once they found out that Rocco was a barber, as was his father and brother, they put him to work cutting the officers' hair at his next assignments, amongst other duties, until he finished his tour of duty. Back in civilian life, Rocco went onto college, attending Penn State, where he received his Masters in Public Health and went on to becoming a Hospital Administrator. His last position was as the CEO of a Boston hospital, where he retired in 1988. Rocco and his wife then moved to Rio Verde, AZ, where they lived for many years.
He shared with the students what he learned in the military - discipline and to accept what life circumstances bring to you. He was very proud of his service and felt that he really grew up during his time serving.
These students will write Rocco's story for publication in VHP's 14
th
volume of
Since You Asked
and then forward the videotape to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. for permanent archiving. Fountain Hills High School students have at least 8 more veterans at MorningStar they wish to connect with in 2017 and 2018, to continue VHP's mission of "connecting students with veterans." FHHS principal Cain Jagodzinski, teacher advisor Randy Bragg, and his VHP students are excited for this opportunity to connect with Veterans!
Special recognition goes to Barbara Hatch and the Veterans Heritage Project Board members; Cain Jagodzinski, Principal of Fountain Hills High School; Dr. Patrick Sweeney, Superintendent of the Fountain Hills Unified School District; Randy Bragg, Chapter Advisor and History Teacher; the VHP Chapter School students; as well as MorningStar Director Traci Gregory and Life Enrichment Coordinator Sarah Stillwell along with supporting staff!
To learn more about Veterans Heritage Project and to learn how to gain access to the many stories published, please cisit their website at www.veteransheritage.org.
