Cuccurullo, Ralph, born 1922 in Brooklyn, 
the 1940 census records that he was living with his parents, Alfonse Cuccurullo and Mary Cuccurullo, and his five younger siblings at 84 16th Street, Brooklyn. His registrar’s report, dated 30-06-1942, describes him as 5′ 6″ tall, 125 pounds, blue eyes, black hair, and a ruddy complexion. It notes that he had a scar on his right side. His draft registration card chronicles that he was 19 years old, lived on 16th Street in Brooklyn, and worked for Decorative Metal Co., Inc. at 199 Sackett Street, Brooklyn. As per his World War II Army enlistment records, he enlisted on 13-10-1942. Ralph was single, had completed two years of high school, worked in manufacturing, was 5′ 4″, and weighed 128 pounds.
As per his grandson, Cuccurullo was stationed in Salerno, Italy, served as a medic, and also took part in the Normandy D-Day Operation, 
Operation Market Garden, liberating Eindhoven my hometown 
and the very cold Battle of the Bulge 
during his service in the 82nd Airborne Division 
, 325th Glider Regiment 
under command of Colonel Harry L. Lewis. Historical data describe that the 325th Regiment was activated in 1917 and participated in battles during World War I. The regiment was part of the 82nd Division. The 82nd Division, which was nicknamed “The All American Division,” was so-called because it was comprised of soldiers from every state. During World War II, the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment was formed. The soldiers in this regiment arrived at battles by gliders. On 07-06-1944, the Regiment participated in the invasion of Normandy, France. The soldiers in this unit were awarded the red and green braided French Fourragere, 
a cord of honor for their service, to be worn on their uniforms.
According to his World War II hospital admission card, Cuccurullo was admitted to the hospital in June 1944, but his reason for admission and release date are unknown. As per his grandson, he did take part in Operation Market Garden in September 1944 in Holland. The 325th landed among German positions that had surrounded other elements of the 82nd Airborne Division. The Regiment earned the Distinguished Unit Citation for that attack. On 16-12-1944, the German army launched an attack against the Allies in the Ardennes Forest, Belgium. 
The fight continued into January 1945 with heavy casualties. This famous attack would be named the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, in May, 1945, the 82nd Airborne Division was assigned to Berlin. The Division earned the nickname “America’s Guard of Honor.” It was deactivated on 15–12-1947. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS 
(Beneficiary Identification and Records Locator Subsystem) Death File, Cuccurullo was released from service on 22-12-1945.
Death and burial ground of Cuccurullo, Ralph.
both photo’s on the right.
The New York Marriage License Bureau list his marriage license date as 08-06-1946, and his wife as Marie A. Viola. They had two children. The Social Security Applications and Claims Index and his Daily News obituary record that he died in November 1982. Ralph is buried at the Greenwood cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Section Rose, lot 43900, Grave 614.
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