Bertoldo, Vito Rocco “Rocky”, born 01-12-1916, in Decatur, Macon, Illinois, 
United States, to Rocco Bertoldo (1888–1962) and his wife Mary, born Antonacci Bertoldo (1894–1921) 
.
“Rocky” had three sisters, one half sister and one half brother, Christine Bertoldo Reinhart (1912–1996), Theresa M. Bertoldo Bulpitt (1913–1999), Florence Ann, born Bertoldo Gaffron (1924–2013), 
and Rev. Peter Paul Bertoldo (1925–1995). Bertoldo was married twice, Dorothy Marie, born Sutter Bertoldo (1920–2001 (married 1941) 
and Mae Caroline, born Clary Bertoldo (1920–2005 (married 1958). 
He was educated in the parochial and public schools of Decatur. He then worked as a coal miner, and was later employed as a truck driver for Oakes Products, which manufactured automobile parts before converting to munitions production during World War II.
Bertoldo was ineligible for the World War II draft because of poor eyesight. He decided to enlist despite his draft exemption, and joined the US Army 
in 1942. Approved for limited duty as a military policeman in the United States, Bertoldo talked his way into training as an infantryman, and was assigned as a cook with Company A, 1st Battalion, 242nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division. 
under command of Major General Harry John “Hollywood” Collins, 
Bertoldo’s regiment took part in combat in France and he had attained the rank of private first class by January 1945. According to a 1995 letter by Bertoldo’s company commander, William Corson, 
Company A’s only discipline problem was Bertoldo, who did not get along with the company mess sergeant. As a result, when his battalion headquarters requested three soldiers per company to stand guard duty at the 1st Battalion command post (CP) during the German Operation Nordwind offensive in December 1944 and January 1945, Corson included Bertoldo in his company’s contingent.
On 09-01-1945, Bertoldo was on duty at the entrance to the battalion CP near Hatten, France, when German troops began shelling the town. The battalion staff withdrew, and Bertoldo volunteered to provide rearguard defense as they moved to an alternate location. On his own initiative, and while under fire, he mounted a machine gun at the CP’s entrance, enabling him to cover the main approach. He held his fire as German tanks shelled the building, then fired at the advancing infantry that followed.
By the early morning of January 10, Bertoldo had moved to the alternate command post, which he defended against a continued assault by German troops, firing a machine gun and exposing himself to enemy fire to throw hand grenades. When German troops began firing a self-propelled 88-millimeter gun 
directly into the room from which Bertoldo was shooting, the concussion from the third round knocked him across the room and left him dazed. After ensuring that his assistant gunner had not been killed, he returned to his machine gun and continued the fight. He continued to fight as the battalion staff withdrew from the alternate command post, and did not withdraw himself until everyone else had moved to safety.
For these actions, Bertoldo was awarded the Medal of Honor. 
He was presented with his Medal by President Harry ShippTruman 
at The White House, on 18-12-1945. Bertoldo continued to serve until the end of the war, and attained the rank of master sergeant. He was discharged from the Army in February 1946. He later worked as a contact representative for the Veterans Administration in San Francisco, ensuring that veterans knew they were eligible for benefits, helping them complete applications, and advocating for them as their applications were considered. After leaving the VA in 1958, Bertoldo owned a landscaping company.
Death and burial ground of Bertoldo, Vito Rocco “Rocky”.
Bertoldo “Rocky” was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1966. He died on 23-07-1966, age 49, at the Martinez VA Medical Center, California and was buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. Section C, Grave 52-A.
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