Generoso Vincenzo "Gene" Senerchia

Medical Detachment

22nd Infantry

4th Infantry Division

1941-1945

Gene Senerchia was born in Newport, Rhode Island on December 4, 1918.

He graduated from Franklin K. Lane High School in Brooklyn, New York in 1939.

Gene was drafted into the Army on February 28, 1941 at Jamaica, New York.
At the time of induction his residence was listed as Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.
In civilian life he had been a barber employed in a three chair barber shop owned by his father.

He received Medical Technician Training in 1941 and was assigned as a Combat Medic
to the 22nd Infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia. His Army Separation Qualification Record
indicates that while at Fort Benning he worked as a Company Medical Aidman caring for
trainees suffering from heat prostration while on marches, blisters, snake bite and injuries.

Gene deployed with the Regiment as a Medic in both the Louisiana and Carolina Maneuvers of 1941.

In June 1942 he became a clerk-typist working in the Medical Detachment of the 22nd Infantry
Regimental Headquarters where he made up morning reports, kept sick book, made up payrolls,
made entries in service records and did other duties pertinent to the operation of the Medical Detachment.

He served with the 22nd Infantry at Camp Gordon, Georgia; Fort Dix, New Jersey; Camp Gordon Johnston, Florida
and moved with the Regiment to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He sailed with the Regiment to England aboard the
Capetown Castle in January 1944 and was stationed with the Regiment as it went through more training in England.

He served with the 22nd Infantry as it moved across France, Belgium, Luxembourg and into Germany.
Though his duties kept him mostly at Regimental Headquarters he was in the front lines on occasion
and often had to duck into foxholes to escape enemy gunfire and artillery. Sometimes he was called
upon to use his medical training and aided in the treatment of the wounded and injured.

Gene was awarded the Combat Medic Badge and the Bronze Star Medal, served on occupation duty
in Germany and returned with the Regiment to the United States aboard the transport USAT James Parker
in July 1945. He was discharged in August 1945 having attained the rank of Technician 4th Class.

In 1942 he met Gina Gloria "Jean" Nucera and they wrote letters to each other all during the war.
On March 3, 1946 they were married and lived together for fifty-two years until Jean died in 1998.

Gene Senerchia died in New Jersey on March 14, 2004 and is buried with his wife Jean
in Saint Marys of the Lake Cemetery, Lakewood, Ocean County, New Jersey.

The photos on the following pages are courtesy of Gene Senerchia's grandson Joe Mattioli
in loving memory and honor of his grandfather.

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