Sgt. Louis D. Mancino Tribute

My dad was conceived in Sicily, Italy and born in New York, U.S.A. in May 1916 ... how's THAT  for starting life out as a traveler!

When he was 2 or 3 years old, he was photographed with his 1st instrument ... a ukulele ... and it wasn't much taller then he was. As he grew in age, his love for music only grew stronger and he longed to learn the bass fiddle. As my grandparents were simple folks, grandpa only earned enough money for his family to just get by, and grandma reared the family and home, so there was little extra for the extravagances in life such as buying an instrument and learning how to play it or how to read music. In those trying days, all family members, primarily male children, usually would find some kind of legal work they could do after school (i.e.: shoeshine boy, newspaper boy, errand boy, grocery deliverer, etc.) and bring home whatever little dividends they've earned to help out at home. Besides, grandpa felt being a musician was not a dignified position, only hoodlums were musicians after all, so he was truly against the idea of dad ever becoming one of those "hoodlums"! Also if dad really wanted this dream to come true he would find a legal way of buying the instrument and lessons for himself, if he wasn't serious about this dream, then nothing would come out of it ... period ... after all, "nothing ventured, nothing gained".

As time went on, dad was able to save enough money on the side to buy his bass fiddle (which he still owns today) and music lessons. Grandpa was none to pleased I can assure you, but grandma knew better. She kept positive and encouraged dad all the way. She knew she raised an honorable son with only the best intentions in mind. Besides, if dad ever went off the road of honor, grandma had a very good right pitching arm, and shoes where her specialty every time! She also kept on talking with grandpa as well.

Finally, the day came when dad was going to perform on stage with an orchestra for the very first time! Boy, oh boy, was he excited! He invited his parents, knowing full well that grandpa would most probably not be attending the show (all those hoodlums you know ). Well, grandma knew how to handle grandpa in her own wisdom, and grandpa DID attend dad's performance.

GRANDPA WAS IN AWE! He was so PROUD of his son the MUSICIAN! He would go around in that proud "fatherly way" telling folks how HIS son played a BASS FIDDLE in an orchestra, and just how GREAT he was, too! How dad made an HONORABLE and GOOD living as a musician. Awww, how times had changed for both grandpa and Dad, and not to be forgotten, all from the love, patience, and admiration of a wonderful mother and wife.

Later on in his life, when dad was aged 23, he willingly volunteered his services and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps of WWII, becoming a Sergeant, and having his own pit crew working on such planes as the B-17's and B-29's. He also performed stateside entertaining our U.S. troops through the U.S. Service Theater Company. Although he never left the shores of the land of his birth, he worked co operatively, diligently and hard to earn the respect of his superiors and peers. He was honorably discharged in 1942, receiving his Theater, Good Conduct, and WWII Victory medals.

Some of the more famous people dad had dealings with or met in his life were: Jimmy Durante (famous actor/musican/comedian of the 1020's-70's), Duke Ellington (a famous NY jazz composer/bandleader of the 1920's-'70's), Marilyn Monroe (said her pictures and movies did her little justice as she was that beautiful in person), Elvis Presley (said he was one of the nicest and most generous fellows he ever met), and Sean Connery (said he was a real gentlemen's gentleman and very charming).

He reached his 91st birthday in 2007, as a widower lived alone with family very close by, did all his own shopping and cooking, drove with an impeccably clean licence I might add, and was STILL a musician playing in an orchestra! He was a father of 2 daughters and son-in-law, a grandfather of 2, a grandfather-in-law of 2, and a great-grandfather of 5.

Was he perfect? Not in the least. Did he think he was perfect? He knew he wasn't, but this didn't stop him from trying to improve himself on a daily basis. He believed in God, was honorable in all matters, respected most, and trusted few. As a son he was obedient, as a sibling he was the responsible eldest brother, as a husband he was hard working, as a father he was strict, as a friend he'd always have your back for the right and honorable reasons.

Do we think he's the #1 father?

You bet your ARSE  we do indeed, for he's our dad and we're from his seed!

We  YOU, DAD ....... AND ALWAYS WILL !!!