Albert F. Gallo

With assistance of his

loving family members

Table of Contents

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………… 1

No Mail Received By Family ………………………………………………… 3

Jap Suicide Planes ……………………………………………………………………9

Empty Fox Holes ………………………………………………………………………12

“K” Ration-Chocolate ………………………………………………………………13

Ammunition Dump ………………………………………………………………………15

Japanese Suicide Mission ………………………………………………………19

Mess Hall Plane Crash ……………………………………………………………21

This is the Army ………………………………………………………………………23

Tokyo Rose a.k.a Little Orphan Annie ………………………………26

B-29’s Returning From Japan ………………………………………………28

Homeward Bound ………………………………………………………………………30

52-20 Club …………………………………………………………………………………33

Battalion History – Iwo Jima ………………………………………………34

Miscellaneous Photos ………………………………………………………………36

Albert Gallo’s Work Records…………………………………………………38

1

Introduction

This is a collection of memories of Albert Gallo’s time spent in

the Army during WWII. He was living in Astoria, NY with his family

which consisted of his parents and their eight children. One of his

brothers was already in the US Army. Albert was drafted at the age

of nineteen on March 10, 1943. Shortly after he was drafted his other

brother joined the US Navy. After training he was still ranked Private

and was assigned to the 506th AAA Gun Battery of the United States

Army. He participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima in February of 1945.

He landed on the beach on D+6, while some of his outfit landed on D+3.

During the invasion he remembered what he had been trained for,

which was to “dig in and not to stay exposed”. His most vivid memory

of Iwo Jima is the soft sand and how hard it was for them to get their

equipment off the beach. At the time the war ended their unit was

still stationed on Iwo Jima. They were originally Assault Troops but

had stayed on the island as Anti-Aircraft protection.

2

Albert Gallo received a few medals after the war including the

Good Conduct Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal with Bronze

Star. After the war he took advantage of the GI Bill by attending

Pace University and New York University. He then went into the

workforce spending 48 years working for First Investors and retiring

after his 80th birthday. Albert will turn 90 years old this summer and

will be celebrating with his 4 children and 9 grandchildren.

Albert and wife Angela

Taken December 2012

on a family vacation.

They have been happily

married for 62 years.

Introduction written by

Nicole Hayden, granddaughter

3

No Mail Received by Family

The day I left home to be inducted into the army, March 10th,

1943, my parents made me promise to write often even if it was just a

postcard to let them know I was okay. They asked the same of my

brothers, Joseph who was also in the army and Vincent in the navy. We

kept our promise writing every chance we had, two or three times a

week. We were a very close family and I did not want to cause my

parents any anxiety. For almost two years they received mail from me

regularly.

In late December 1944 after being stationed on Oahu, Hawaii for

8 or 9 months, we were sent to the Aiea Staging Area in preparation

for our next orders. While there we assembled equipment and supplies

that we would be taking and loaded everything onto LST 84. Our

address was changed to APO 86. We were told we could write letters

but were instructed not to date them. This was done in wartime to

4

keep our missions secure from the enemy. Our ship left Hawaii on

January 21, 1945 for our combat mission. We stopped for short

periods on Eniwetok, Kwajaline Islands and Guam. While aboard ship we

wrote letters and assumed they were dropped off and mailed back to

the states from one of the islands we stopped at.

None of us were sure where we were headed. There was a lot of

speculation. Finally we were told our destination was Iwo Jima. The

Captain showed us a map of the island and explained our orders were to

land on Red Beach2, which was just below Mt. Suribachi.

After 35 days aboard ship, we arrived at the island on the

afternoon of February 19, 1945, which was “D” day. We were prepared

to land the next morning. The beach was strewn with wreckage of all

types, casualties of the day’s fierce fighting. Because of all the

wreckage on the beach we could not land so we were ordered to remain

on the ship. Circling the island just off shore, we could see and hear

the fierce fighting on the island. While listening to the “ship to shore”

radio, we learned our flag was flying on Mt. Suribachi. We looked up

5

and sure enough the flag had been raised and many Marines were

walking around.

The first group from our battalion landed on D+3. The rest of

our battalion including myself landed on Sunday February 25, 1945,

which was six days after the battle began (D+6).

We were not able to write letters for at least 2 weeks, too much

to do! One day our Captain, Virgil Jordan, told us he made

arrangements with a navy ship, going back to the Brooklyn Navy Yard

for repairs to mail our letters when they landed. We all hurriedly wrote

letters so they could be taken to the ship and eventually reach our

families.

We were not aware that since December 20, 1944, our letters

were being held up until after the island was invaded – approximately

two months. Since I didn’t know this I assumed my family had been

receiving all my letters.

We did not receive any mail for quite some time after we landed.

Including the 35 days on the ship, we had not received mail for well

6

over two months. When I finally received mail, the first letters were

from my sisters. Those letters said the family had not heard from me

for a while. I didn’t think anything of it at the time because I assumed

they would be receiving letters soon. However, subsequent letters said

they were concerned because they had no mail from me for 2 weeks,

then 3 weeks, and 4 weeks. I could only imagine what my parents were

thinking back in New York. Their only connection to their sons was

through the mail and now they had been cut off from me for over a

month. Then more letters came indicating they had no mail from me

for 5 and 6 weeks. It was about 7 or 8 weeks when all the letters

finally caught up. This must have seemed like an eternity to my mom,

dad and sisters because I made sure to write home two or three times

a week before we left Hawaii letting them know I was okay. I could

tell from my parents’ letters that they were extremely worried

because they kept begging me to write. My father asked everyone in

the family to also write hoping I would answer one of them and then he

would know I was all right.

7

I cannot express how upsetting and difficult this time was for

me. We were a close family living in Astoria, New York. I knew how

important it was for them to receive mail because it was their only

connection to their children. The letters from home kept me

connected to my brothers whom I thought of and prayed for every day.

With three sons all in the war and separated from their family,

our letters were their only lifelines. My sisters told me that my

mother would anxiously wait in front of our house everyday for the

mailman to come. She would blame him for not having any mail from me.

I do not envy the postmen of that era; I am sure they did not have an

easy time. My sisters said my mother’s hair turned white from

worrying waiting to hear from me.

When they finally received my letters, they were the ones I

wrote while still in Hawaii and aboard the ship. The letters I wrote

from Iwo Jima took an exceptionally long time to reach my family. In

my letters I told them the island was secured and I was safe when in

reality there was still a lot of fighting going on. Japanese soldiers

8

were hiding in the many caves on Iwo Jima and would come out at night

and start shooting.

When I think about my days in the military, I realize how

emotionally disturbing it was for me to learn that my family had

received no mail from me for such a long time. Reading the letters

from home and realizing how worried everyone was about me would

bring tears to my eyes. I felt so helpless because I could do nothing

about it. To many people not receiving mail was not a big deal, but to

me it was depressing to learn I unwittingly caused my family, whom I

loved and missed terribly, such anxiety. A simple letter or postcard

was all they had to look forward to and meant a great deal to them.

Written: January, 2000

9

Jap Suicide Planes

While waiting to land on Iwo Jima our ship (LST 84) cruised

around the Island waiting to be called in. On D+2, February 21, 1945,

just before dark we were attacked by Japanese suicide planes. The

Island was expecting a bombing attack that night and we were sailing

away from it so there would be less chance of getting hit. I was below

deck when General Quarters sounded. I went to my station

immediately which was mid-ship near some stairs where ammunition

could be brought up from below.

There were 4 planes flying very close to the water. One plane

immediately crashed into an LST directly behind us (LST 477). One

other plane crashed into a mine tender on our left (USS Keokuk).

Another plane was flying low directly towards our ship. Besides the

navy guns which were on the ship, we took our 50 caliber machine guns

and tied them to the rails of the ship. We also had trucks on the top

10

deck with openings over the cab to mount more machine guns. We were

all firing at the same time and the plane crashed in the water a very

short distance from our ship. We were lucky to have had all that fire

power because that plane was trying to park itself on our ship.

The two ships that were hit did not sink but they were damaged

quite a bit and suffered a lot of casualties. Seven military personnel

were killed on LST 477. The following day we were close to the ship

when they were buried at sea. We heard later that the aircraft

carrier Saratoga was also attacked at the same time and was badly

damaged and had to return to the Brooklyn Navy Yard for repairs.

The next day we were engaged in an air attack by unidentified

planes. We had been expecting a bombing attack and were told enemy

planes were in the area. Everyone on ship was waiting at their battle

stations. The day was very cloudy when all of a sudden four planes

suddenly appeared. Everyone opened fire and three of the planes were

shot down. Sadly we soon learned they were our Navy TBF’s but the

11

damage had already been done. We were never informed that U.S.

planes were also in the area.

One of our men, Trinidad Guerrero, was wounded in this action.

He was firing his machine gun when the bullets hit the railing and

ricocheted and wounded him. He was transferred to another ship and

sent back to Pearl Harbor.

That night we also got the air raid we had been waiting for.

Instead of hitting the island, the Japanese release their bombs over

the ships but I don’t think they hit very much.

12

Empty Fox Holes

After we landed on Iwo Jima and set up our equipment, we

realized many Marines were staying in foxholes all around us. Since

most of the fighting was further north, every morning the Marines

would leave the foxholes and go out on patrol to fight the Japanese.

They would leave their packs in the foxholes and just take their rifles.

In late afternoon before it got dark, they would return. However,

many of the packs in the foxholes would be unclaimed because their

owner never made it back. Some of the guys in our outfit had become

friendly with them and the amount of packs left in foxholes upset

them because we knew what had happened to the Marines.

13

“K” Ration-Chocolate

When we landed on Iwo Jima, we were issued “K” rations. These

were considered “Emergency Rations” which we would use until we were

able to get “Real Food”. They came in a sealed package that resembled

a Cracker Jack box. One of the items in the box was a bar of

chocolate. It was very thick, very hard and very bitter. It probably

would be able to sustain us if we were separated from our outfit. No

one cared for the chocolate with the exception of Andy Andrews. He

thought they tasted pretty good and used to eat a good number of

them.

One night he woke up with excruciating pain. We thought he

might have appendicitis. We called our battalion doctor and asked for

his advice. As usual, he said take him to the evacuation hospital on the

beach. This was the middle of the night and the hospital was a good

distance away. Lee Holland and myself, with a driver drove to the

14

hospital with Andy in an open back truck. It was very dark. We could

not use our lights and there was still a lot of shooting going on. A truck

moving at night must have made a tempting target but we made it to

the hospital.

We left Andy there and waited around for a short while. While

waiting outside the large tent with a red cross on it and marked

“hospital”, we noticed sand being kicked up close by. We realized that

the Japs were firing mortars into the area. We decided to leave Andy

and went back to our outfit again in the dark.

Andy finally rejoined us and I believe all he needed was a good

laxative. We told him that all that chocolate was like cement in his

stomach. He didn’t eat much chocolate after that experience.

15

Ammunition Dump

It was sometime in March of 1945 and our outfit had been on Iwo

Jima since February 25th. We were stationed a short distance from

the ammunition dump. Many loyal Japanese soldiers, unwilling to

surrender, remained hidden in caves and bunkers up in the hills. They

would come out of their caves and fire at us or shoot mortars into our

area. I remember one of those times, it was early evening, just after

dark, a few Japanese soldiers had come down from the hills and were

firing mortars into the ammunition dump. I looked over towards the

dump and saw a truck on fire after being hit by enemy fire. As the

evening wore on, the fire spread across the dump and soon the flames

began igniting the shells in the ammunition dump. The shells began

exploding all around us, there was nowhere to hide. Not only were we

pinned down from the enemy fire but also the exploding shells were

everywhere. We had dug in our equipment and tried to protect

16

ourselves as much as possible. Many Marines were in foxholes all

around us. It was very dangerous for us all as shells were exploding

very close by and no one dared make a move to another foxhole. We

were somewhat protected but the gun crews were out in the open and

very exposed. Some Marines did leave their foxholes looking for a

safer place to hide and that caused more confusion. Things got even

more chaotic when we received reports that enemy soldiers were in the

area. There was a lot of shooting that night and unfortunately, a lot of

casualties. To further add to the confusion of that night, we received

an air raid alert and every man had to remain with his equipment and be

prepared to shoot down enemy planes.

Some shells that contained tear gas exploded. Because we feared

the Japanese were using poison gas, we immediately went for our gas

masks and put them on. We reported a poison gas attack and alerted

the other units. Poison gas was by far our worst fear. If you didn’t

get your mask on in time, the gas would kill you. At the time we

couldn’t believe the Japanese were using poison gas. Even under

17

stressful conditions, sometimes humor can take your mind off of the

horror for a minute. On this night when anything could go wrong, a

funny incident happened after the report of poison gas reached us.

Instinctively, just like we had been trained to do, each of us reached

for our masks and quickly put them on and started to breath. We

looked on in alarm when we noticed that Harry Grover was struggling to

breathe. At first no one knew what was wrong and our paranoia about

the poison gas had us fearing the worst for our comrade. Fear quickly

gave way to laughter as we all realized what had happened. When we

landed, we had to walk through water to reach the beach, we put tape

over the air intake valve of our gas masks. After we arrived on land,

we were suppose to take the tape off the masks, but not everyone did.

Harry forgot to take the tape off his mask so when he put it on and

started breathing no air was coming in. He was in a panic trying to suck

air when we realized what his problem was and pulled the tape off for

him. He said he saw his life pass before his eyes that night.

18

We all survived that night and spent the following days collecting

all the shell fragments and unexploded shells that were all over our

area. We dug a big hole and were picking up shells and putting them in

the hole. One of the shells I picked up exploded when I tossed it into

the hole. It was a small shell, but I was hit with many small pieces of

metal on my chest and legs.

Our Battalion doctor said I should be taken to the evacuation

hospital on the beach. While there a doctor had my wounds painted

with a solution that could possibly have been just iodine. While filling

out a bunch of forms he asked how it happened. After explaining about

the shell exploding he marked the form WIA (Wounded in Action).

There were two dead Marines lying on stretchers in the same tent.

After a while I was released and had to walk back to my outfit.

Although the Doctor listed my injuries as wounded in action, I never

gave any thought about putting in for a Purple Heart and never

received one.

19

Japanese Suicide Mission

During the early morning hours of March 26, 1945, five weeks

after D-day, between two and three hundred Japanese launched a final

suicide attack.

This was a well-organized silent raid. Most everyone was asleep.

Organized resistance was suppose to have ceased and no one was

expecting such a large group of Japanese to still be in the area. They

came right through our “C” battery. They moved in large groups and

were challenged by our guards. They answered in English and some said

they were medics going to the beach area.

When they didn’t answer to the password they were fired upon.

They did not return the fire. Their destination was an area where P-61

airmen had foolishly set up tents – they were sitting ducks.

The Japanese took over their area, throwing hand grenades into

the tents and using bayonets on them. We were on higher ground,

20

looked down, and saw all the activity. An infantry outfit was sent in to

fight the Japanese. It took until 11 a.m. to clean them out. In the

blood-splattered tents were 44 dead airmen and 88 wounded. Nine

soldiers were also killed and 31 were wounded. 262 Japanese were also

killed that night. What surprised everyone was that so many Japanese

were still at our end of the Island. They probably were hiding in caves

all that time and when the pilots arrived on the Island and set up tents

they became the target.

21

Mess Hall Plane Crash

After we took over airfield No. 1 which the Japanese called

Motoyama Number One and had it in full operation, many planes landed

and took off from the field.

One day a Navy TBF took off and immediately started having

problems. The pilot circled and tried to get back to the field but the

plane lost attitude and crashed into our mess hall and started burning.

Everyone ran to help. They put sand on the fire trying to extinguish it.

The pilot was trapped in the plane. A piece of wood was used to break

open the cockpit. He was finally removed from the plane but later died

from his injuries.

22

Many were there to help, especially Capt. Virgil H. Jordan, 1st Lt.

George P. Gurley, and PFC Walter H. Buchanan, who were awarded

Soldiers Medals on Sept 12, 1945 for their bravery.

23

This is the Army

When in combat you learn to make the best of the situation,

which at times was not pleasant. If our mess sergeant was not able to

cook for us, we were given emergency rations. Early on we were given

something called “K” rations which came in a package that looked like a

Cracker Jack box. It contained a piece of cheese, a small can of meat,

A hard cracker, a chocolate bar and a powder you could make lemonade

with.

They then improved on this and we were given “C” rations. This

was a small can which could have been Corned Beef Hash, Franks and

Beans, a Stew or something with eggs in it. We never could figure out

what it really was. Later on we were given “10 in 1” rations which was

suppose to be a deluxe meal. It came in a bigger box and was enough

for 10 men. The food came in cans and was a better quality and we had

a better selection of food. Of course, it was no way near my mother’s

24

cooking. But it taught me never to complain about any other food I ate

when I came home. We learned to make do with what we had.

Once on Iwo Jima one of our guys was given a large can of tomato

soup concentrate from someone in the Navy. Since the water we drank

had a strong sulfur taste we didn’t want to use it. It would have killed

the soup. Instead we caught the rainwater that came off our tents

and used that. The soup we made was delicious, even if it did taste a

little sandy.

Another thing that was important to us were dry socks. We

sometimes went for days without taking our shoes off. If your feet

were wet and you weren’t able to change your socks you could get

something called “trench feet”. This was very serious and could really

ruin your feet. A dry pair of socks was very important and we always

tried to carry an extra pair or two with us. At times we would run out

of toothpaste and we used to rub salt across our teeth to clean them.

Now about toilet paper -- a very, very important item. Everyone

carried some with them at all times and kept it in their helmet liner on

25

their heads. We did not have regular toilets and if we were lucky

someone cut open a 55-gallon drum and we sat on that. At one time we

had a six seater; a very funny sight. Six drums lined up that we used.

We were still in foxholes then and many times we could not wait for

the morning light to use “the toilet”. I remember one time when every

seat was taken, suddenly a Jap sniper started shooting at them. You

never saw 6 men pull up their pants and start running so fast. After it

was over we thought it was very funny.

We also tried to keep as clean as we could under the

circumstances. To wash ourselves we used to put water in our helmets,

strip down to our waist and wash ourselves that way. If we could not

stand our body odor any longer, we would strip down all the way and

clean ourselves all over. This was done out in the open and the sun

would usually be able to dry us off.

There were many inconveniences that we had to endure in the

Army, but I do not think it hurt us in the long run.

26

Tokyo Rose a.k.a. Little Orphan Annie

On Iwo Jima we were able to get radio stations broadcasting

from Japan. They would usually play American songs and try to induce

homesickness among the American troops.

The woman who broadcasted was an American citizen of Japanese

ancestry who returned to Japan before the war started. She spoke

perfect English and called herself “Little Orphan Annie” or “Orphan

Ann”. To us she was known as “Tokyo Rose”. She tried to depress us

by talking about our girlfriends and families back home in a

demoralizing way.

She once mentioned that the men on Iwo Jima should be

concerned with a certain date. She claimed we were all going to be

destroyed on that day. She did not say how it would happen but it

caused many of us to be concerned and worried. However, the day

came and went and nothing happened.

27

After the war “Tokyo Rose” was put on trial and convicted of

treason and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

28

B-29’s Returning From Japan

B-29’s from Saipan and Tinian flew over Iwo Jima everyday on

their bombing missions to Japan. They would again fly over on their

return to their home base.

The capture of Iwo Jima provided a vital air base for planes that

could not make it back. As an emergency landing area, it provided a

haven for crippled B-29’s returning from Japan. Most were able to

land, but if they could not they sometimes had to land in water or had

to parachute over the island.

One time a plane that was so badly damaged it could not land flew

over the island and parachutes started coming out of it. I happened

to have my camera handy and was able to get pictures of them coming

down. They land pretty hard. One landed on a tent close by and split

the 2 x 4’s supporting the tent. This airman must have been wounded

29

while on the plane because when he landed his shoulder was already

taped up. A jeep quickly showed up and took him away.

Many, many years later at an Iwo Jima Veterans Reunion one of

the speakers was an air force man who parachuted over the island and

wanted to thank us. I spoke to him after his talk and was able to give

him copies of the pictures I took.

30

Homeward Bound

In December of 1945 we were told the U.S.S. Claymont (APA 143)

would be arriving at Iwo Jima to start taking us home. We left Iwo

Jima on Christmas Eve, Monday December 24, 1945.

We stopped at Saipan and stayed there a few days. We

celebrated New Years Eve on the island. The next day we boarded the

aircraft carrier U.S.S. Bunker Hill (CV 17) starting at 4:30 in the

morning and were on our way home. It was a very big ship and held

many returning servicemen.

When we arrived at Long Beach, California on January 15th, the

Red Cross was waiting for us with cold fresh milk and donuts. We had

not had fresh milk or donuts for over a year – they sure tasted good!

The first thing I did on landing was to send a telegram home letting my

family know I had arrived safely in California.

31

We were quickly processed and told we would be flying home

(most returning servicemen were sent home by train). We flew home

on TWA (Transcontinental and Western Airlines) from Burbank,

California on January 16, 1946. It was a long flight (17 hours) because

we made many stops on the way east.

Because I was so close to home when we landed at LaGuardia

Field, I phoned home to tell my family where I was and that I was on

my way to Fort Dix, NJ to be discharged. We boarded buses and were

taken to Pennsylvania Station where we were to get a train to Fort Dix.

Many other service men were also in transit home. There were about

10 of us in our group and when we got to Penn Station everyone said

they wanted a few hours off so that we could go home to see our

families. We agreed to be back by 6 PM.

I called my sister Celia’s husband, Charlie Faro, who worked on

East 57th Street and he came to see me at the station. I also called

home again and my sister-in-law, Ann Gallo, came to the station with

her daughter, Corinne, who was just a baby. She drove me to Astoria

32

and I saw my mother who was already decorating the house for my

homecoming. I did not see my father because he was still at work. I

stayed at the house for about an hour and then Ann drove me back to

Penn Station. I can’t tell you how great it was to see my mother and

other family members. That evening we boarded the train to Fort Dix

and a few days later on Sunday morning, January 20, 1946, I was

discharged from the army. This was a very cold January and we had all

come East with only our summer clothing. Just before being

discharged, I was issued a heavy winter coat.

My brothers, Joseph and Barney, with my brothers-in-law,

Charles Faro, Peter Modifica and Peter Ocello all drove to New Jersey

to pick me up. What a happy day! When we arrived home, I saw my

father for the first time in almost 2 years. My mother made one of her

famous Italian Sunday dinners. Everyone was there and we had a great

time. It felt so good to be home.

33

52-20 Club

After being discharged, Veterans were able to collect $20.00 a

week from the Government for 52 weeks or until we found a job and

started working.

Before I was drafted, I worked at Jaeckel’s Inc. at 10 east 57th

Street and companies were obligated to rehire us when the war was

over. Two weeks after being discharged, I bought a blue suit (no more

khaki) and went back to work at Jaeckel’s. I collected the $20.00 for

only two weeks.

Before I went into the army I was earning $25.00 a week. When

I returned to Jaeckel’s I was given $35.00 a week. I soon realized this

was not very much and spoke to Major Hugo Jaeckel about a raise. He

was the president of the company and he gave me $45.00 a week. He

was a WW1 military man and that may have helped me get the raise.

34

Battalion History – Iwo Jima

Jan. 21, 1945 Left Hawaii for new location

Iwo Jima on LST 84

Feb. 21, 1945 While on LST 84 engaged in air attack with

enemy suicide planes – no casualties

Feb. 22, 1945 Engaged in air attack by unidentified planes

which later proved friendly

1 EM wounded in action–pvt. Trinidad Guerrero

Feb. 25, 1945 Battalion disembarked at combat station –

Iwo Jima

Mar. 1, 1945 2 EM wounded by enemy action

Mar. 4, 1945 1 EM killed in action

Mar. 17, 1945 1 EM wounded in action

Apr. 23, 1945 Purple Hearts awarded

Apr. 25, 1945 Soldiers Medals awarded to

PFC Thomas J. Powers

CPL Walter J. Dares

CPL Robert H. Barnett

Jun. 4, 1945 Bronze Star Awarded to

Lt. Col. Donald M. White Jr.

35

Aug. 22, 1945 3 Purple Hearts Awarded for wounds

received on August 4th.

Sept. 12, 1945 Soldiers Medal awarded to

Capt. Virgil H. Jordan

1st Lt. George P. Gurley

PFC Walter H. Buchanan

Oct. 18, 1945 All members for 506 AAA Gun Battalion

present during landing on Iwo Jima

awarded Bronze Service Star

Oct. 29, 1945 Members of the Medical Detachment

506 AAA Gun Battalion

awarded Bronze Service Stars

36

Miscellaneous Photos

37

38

Albert Gallo – Work Records

In 1936, when I was 13 years old, my brother-in-law, Peter

Modifica, bought a fruit and vegetable store on 118th Street in

Richmond Hill. It was called the neighborhood market. He asked if I

wanted to come in on Saturdays and help him. Of course, I said yes.

At that time we both lived in Astoria. He opened the store at 7 a.m.

and closed around 11 p.m. A very long day, but I enjoyed doing it. For

a day’s work I was paid one dollar. In those days a dollar went a long

way. An ice cream cone was 5¢ and a movie was 10¢. I was very happy

with the arrangement.

In the summer, I would work all week (6 days) and was paid

$11.00 a week plus whatever tips I made delivering orders. After a

while he also started selling groceries and had a very good business

going. I worked for him until I turned 18 and graduated from high

school. At that time I thought I should get a “real job”.

One of our customers was an executive at Colgate-Palmolive-Peet

in Jersey City and was able to get me a job there as a stock and file

clerk. The job paid $15 a week but I had to travel to Jersey City (two

5¢ fares each way – 20¢ a day). When I left the grocery business I

took a pay cut from $21 to $15 weekly. Working for my brother-in-law

I was paid $11 a week plus about $10 in tips for a total of $21 a week

with no expenses and all I could eat. I made more money delivering

orders than working at Colgate. So much for having a “real job”!

By this time it was 1942 and many young men my age were being

drafted. I was with Colgate for a short time when my other brother-

in-law, Charlie Faro, who was a fur buyer at Jaeckel’s at 10 East 57th

Street in New York offered me a job there paying $21 a week. Talk

about nepotism. Because of the war, help was hard to get and some

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firms paid a bonus if you recommended someone. Jaeckel’s was a very

exclusive fur store dealing with very wealthy people. It was so

exclusive that during wartime the store hours were 10 to 4 and closed

on Saturdays. I only worked 30 hours a week.

I worked with Jaeckel’s until March of 1943 when President

Roosevelt send me greetings and asked me to join the army. It was an

offer I could not refuse. When I was drafted Army Privates were paid

$21 a month, but this was soon increased to $50 a month. When I left

the army I was making the magnificent sum of $84 a month as

sergeant.

After the war if you were working when you were drafted, your

old firm was obligated to take you back. Two weeks after my

discharge, I went back to working at Jaeckel’s. My title was Assistant

Fur Buyer and my salary would be $35 a week. I soon realized it was

not very much and went to Major Hugo Jaeckel’s office and asked for a

raise. He agreed with me and raised my salary to $45 a week. He was

president of the company and a major in World War I. Maybe that

helped me get the raise.

In 1948 Tracy Jaeckel hired a new secretary named Angela

Costantini. She would often come down to me and have me interpret

letters he dictated to her. This was her first job after graduating

from Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School. I eventually started asking

her to lunch and the rest is history. We started dating and I knew she

was the girl for me. At the time I was also going to Pace University at

night.

After a number of years, Jaeckel’s was bought by Gunther Furs

and was renamed Gunther-Jaeckel. Gunther’s then moved into our

building on East 57th Street. At that time we had two assistant fur

buyers and I knew my days were numbered. I remained there for a

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few years. In 1950, one of the manufacturers we bought from heard I

was looking around and offered me a job as a wholesale fur salesman. I

went to work for Rappaport and Sternberg at 345 7th Avenue and

started with $70 a week.

In April of 1951, Angela and I were married. At that time, I was

making $75 a week. I stayed with Rappaport and Sternberg about 8

years and called on all the fine fur stores. Bergdorf-Goodman was our

biggest customer. Out of town fur stores would have buying offices in

New York and I would deal with them. My salary slowly increased to

$100 a week.

Around September 1957, I asked Mr. Sternberg for a $10 raise.

It was in the middle of our busy season and he said it was not the right

time to ask for a raise. I waited until January of 1958 and asked again.

This was the beginning of our slow season and he said he was not able

to give me a raise. At that time we had 2 children. I felt strongly that

I deserved a raise, so I gave him my 2 weeks notice. After the 2

weeks were up, he still refused to give me a raise so I quit (without the

prospect of another job). I wasn’t worried. My motto was, and still is,

“Don’t Worry – Be Happy.”

My mother and father-in-law were very concerned because I

didn’t have a job and therefore wouldn’t have money to feed my family.

They came to visit us and brought a big bag full of groceries with them.

Since I didn’t have a job to go to, I seriously started looking around.

One day while having lunch with a friend, he told me about a firm

that was looking for a fur salesman. I went to see them and was

offered the job, which paid $125 a week. A nice increase! The firm

was Milton and Cohen. One day I ran into my old boss, Mr. Sternberg.

He told me he was surprised that I wold leave him over a $10 raise.

When I told him what I was now earning in my new job, he was

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dumbfounded and had nothing to say. I was at Milton-Cohen for about

4 years and then went to work for S. Schneiderman and Sons at 150

West 30th Street. I was there a few years when they told me they

wanted to try out a new salesman.

Around 1966 I went to work for Kotuk and Ackerman, a very high

end manufacturer of minks and sables. They were located at 345 7th

Avenue. They also did a lot of retail business and expected their

salesman to also bring in retail customers. I was there only one year

when I hears S. Schneiderman and Sons wanted me back so I went to

work for them again.

Usually fur salesmen were kept on the job for 2 or 3 years. This

was done because they hoped the accounts the salesman brought in

would remain with the firm and a new salesman would use his

connections to bring in other accounts. I was getting tired of the fur

business because of the long hours and especially having to work

Saturdays. I also could not take a summer vacation because summer

was a very busy season for furriers.

In 1957, I decided to change careers and since I was always

interested in the investment business, I answered an ad I saw in the

N.Y. Times. I went to talk to Dave Grayson, a manager with First

Investors Corp. Dave Grayson painted a very rosy picture of the

growing company and the mutual fund business. I was so eager to join

them I was ready to quit my job and go into the mutual fund business

as a salesman immediately. After interviewing me and asking questions

he suggested I start part-time because it was a commission business.

I was hired in January 1957, but before I could actually sell I had to

become licensed. I studied all the SEC and NASD regulations for 3

months. I took the exam, passed my series 6 and received my license

in May of 1957. Dave Grayson eventually became president of the

company and then was able to buy the company.

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I worked nights and weekends while still working for S.

Sneiderman and Sons. I thoroughly enjoyed the business and thought

mutual funds were a great product. I really didn’t need this extra

income from selling so I was investing it in mutual funds. I did this for

about 13 years on a part-time basis.

In the meantime, a fur salesman was becoming less and less of a

necessity because most owners where doing there own selling. I saw

the handwriting on the wall and in 1970 I told S. Schneiderman and

Sons I was leaving the fur business and went to work for First

Inventors on a full time basis. When I told my manager, Myron

Feltheimer, I was coming in full time he sat me down and offered me a

job as a supervisor with a small salary. He said it would be a part-time

job and I still would have time to sell which is what I really wanted to

do. I did this for a number of years and found it restricted my selling.

I then gave up being a supervisor and devoted all my time to sales.

Even in sales they gave us titles and I was a Senior Resident Vice-

President, belonged to the Million Dollar Club and was a Gold Member

of the Chairman’s Circle.

Little did I know that over 46 years later I would still be in sales

at First Investors. 46 years with one firm must be some kind of a

record. Where did the time go?

Written By: Albert F. Gallo

February 2004