Charles Benardo was born May, 8, 1918. He enlisted in the army January 31, 1941. He was part of the 106th Infantry from Albany, New York. The 27th Division was deployed to Hawaii in early 1942. Elements of the 27th were sent to the Marshall Islands for some actions in late 1943. PFC Benardo was part of the amphibious invasion of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands on February 19, 1944. That was D Day for that invasion when he suffered a gun shot wound to the right shoulder, resulting in his death. The 106th landed on the morning of the 19th followed by the 3rd battalion of the 22nd Marines. It took 3 days to secure the island, during which time 37 Americans were killed as well as about 800 of the enemy.
PFC Benardo was first buried on in Japtan Island Cemetery, Eniwetok Atoll and then reinterred at Masusoleum #1, Territory of Hawaii. In 1947, at the family's request, his body was returned to New York where a funeral service was conducted by the American Legion prior to his burial at St. Mary's Cemetery in Waterford, NY.
This group consists of PFC Bernado's posthumous officially engraved slot brooch Purple Heart with its presentation box; plus the burial flag that was used in the American Legion service. Also included is his 60 page Individual Deceased Personnel File and much internet research on PFC Bernado and his brothers and the 27th Division action in the Pacific.
Charles Benardo's brother, Louis, was in the Navy during WW2 serving on the destroyer, USS Helm. His brother William, a lieutenant in the Army, was awarded a Bronze Star for action in Corregidor in Spring of 1945.
In the pictures below, Bernado is the center figure in a photo taken of the 10th Infantry in Albany prior to the war.
Spring 2022 sold to a collector.
