Eugene Gino Salvatore Zangara

Gino Salvatore Zangara was born February 9, 1929 in Detroit, Michigan. Soon the Zangara family moved to Passaic, New Jersey where Gino spent most of his childhood. He joined the Army at the age of 15 (underage) as he went to the recruitment office with older friends who were required to sign-up under the draft law. He lied about his age, and the officer scolded him for not signing up sooner, as he added 3 years to his age, not 1 or 2. When the Truancy Board found him, he returned to school for a few months until the ripe old age of 17, which was the legal age for enlisting at that time. Gino was a member of VUMS (Veterans of Underage Military Service). He was trained at Fort Dix, NJ, and Fort Sill, OK. Gino made 1004 parachute jumps over his career (yes, from perfectly functioning planes) and was proud to be an Army Airborne Ranger, Special Ops. Gino was planning to celebrate his 90th birthday by making a parachute jump! After his stint in the Army, Gino thought the Navy would be easy, as he would not have to go through Basic Training again, so he re-enlisted in the Navy. He served in the Underwater Demolition Team as a Frogman, with the primary function of locating and destroying underwater obstacles to allow for amphibious landings. Gino served as a Coxswain from 1950-53 on the USS Okanogan (APA-220). He could ‘walk’ his UDT boat sideways to ‘parallel park’ it next to the ship for loading and unloading frogmen. Gino was in the movie Frogmen starring Richard Widmark. He was filmed recovering fellow Frogmen out of the water single handedly as his rubber boat was being pulled by a faster boat. He received his first Purple Heart for a wound he received in Korea; he took shrapnel in his left arm from a mortar explosion. Later in his Naval career, he attended Hospital Corpsman School and Naval Radiology School, and was then attached to a Marine Force Recon Unit as a Corpsman. As a corpsman, he had the opportunity of taking the Marine option - Gino took the rank and uniform of a Marine and conformed to Marine Corps regulations. As a Marine, he attained the rank of Sergeant Major, the highest rank an enlisted man can reach. The Lake Champlain (also an aircraft carrier) was selected as the prime recovery ship for America's first manned space flight. She sailed for the recovery area on May 1, 1961, and was on station on the 5th when Commander Alan Shepard was recovered along with spacecraft Freedom 7 after splashdown some 300 miles down range from Cape Kennedy. Gino was the Frogman, in the water, to open the hatch of the Freedom 7. (Frogmen and UDT specialists were the pre-Navy Seals that we know today). Being a corpsman stationed on the Lake Champlain, he gave Alan Shepherd his first physical once he was brought on board. Toward the end of his Naval career, Gino served on the USS Essex CV CVA CVS-9 aircraft carrier from 1967 to 68. He received two more Purple Hearts while serving in Vietnam. He was injured twice by snipers, once in his back and once in his neck. He was awarded South Vietnam's Gallantry Cross for heroism when, while temporarily attached to a South Vietnamese recon team, they were ambushed by Viet Cong while on patrol. Four members of his team were wounded, and while under fire, he pulled all 4 men to safety. He was rushed by 4 VC and, in defense of himself and his 4 wounded team members, he killed 3 with one of the wounded men's weapons and the 4th in hand to hand with his knife. After his retirement from active duty, he served in the New Mexico State Guard, and then the Texas State Guard (Army) from which he retired as breveted Brigadier General. In addition to his decorated military service, Gino will be remembered for his Italian cooking. His red ‘gravy’, meatballs, linguine dish, and puttanesca were legendary staples in his home. He also had a passion for cars and car restoration. In the last 25 years, Eric counted 18 vehicles! Many will remember Gino for his practical jokes, love for big band music, and being by the ocean. Gino is PROUD of his 9 grandchildren: Nick, Thomas, Karen, Kynde, Kaelyn, Debyn, Grayson, Kaleb and Leighton. Gino was so thankful to have met his second Great-Grandson, Parker, in November, and his one foster Grandson, Zachary, in October. Unfortunately, he did not meet his first Great-Grandson, Jayden. Gino is survived by one sister, Geri and her husband Paul, in Englewood, FL; and Gino’s four children: Gene, Debi, Eric and Adrienne. He also has three nephews and one niece in Englewood: Paul, Jim, Lauri and Mike, and their spouses and children; and four nephews in New Mexico: Ken, Kevin, Danny and Jim, and their spouses and children. Gino’s brother Jerry preceded him in death. Gino, God granted you a long, full life. Together, we are thankful to have known you, loved you, and served with you. Well done thou good and faithful Soldier.