World War II Veteran, Louis Dolce, turns 100 – TODAY

Local US Coast Guard Veteran, Louis Dolce Sr. turns 100 – today.

Among many of the birthday cards and gifts Louie has and will be receiving have been Happy Birthday wishes from the ownership of the New England Patriots, Josh Kraft, President of New England Patriot Foundation and Andre Tippit Hall of Fame.

Louie was one of a dozen WWII veterans who attended a ceremony hosted for WWII veterans by the New England Patriot Foundation and Cross Insurance. “I still remember the “Wow” Louie said when first meeting and shaking Andre Tippit’s hand,” said John Cianci, Department Commander, Italian American War Veterans of RI. Unfortunately,  Kraft and Tippett had other commitments and could not attend any of the events throughout the day celebrating Louie’s 100 birthday. However, both sent their birthday wishes and a special New England Patriot shirt.

Schedule of events celebrating Louie’s 100 birthday TODAY:

945 am – Pleasant View Elementary School, Smithfield, RI: Over 600 students and faculty will wish Louie a Happy Birthday. The students will sing Happy Birthday and a few Patriot songs. Louie will thank the students presenting a dog tags with his name on it for each and every student of the school.

1015 – Depart school in a small convoy to ROMA, Atwells Ave, Providence RI for a morning Italian layer cream fruit cake. Birthday cake.

1045-1230 – ROMA on Federal Hill – Morning Birthday Party

430pm- 630 pm– Louie’s 100^th Birthday party at Perellas Ristorante, 311 Metacom Ave, Warren RI

Two years ago RINewsToday featured Louie in a Veterans article – here:

https://rinewstoday.com/ri-veterans-did-you-know-ne-patriots-thanksgiving-events-3-11-22-john-a-cianci/ 

Louie’s Military Story:

Unknown to many who associate members of the Coast Guard defending the shores of the United States.

WWII Veteran Dolce, 19 years old,  was on the USS Falgout on 20 April 1944, in the Mediterranean, when the convoy came under heavy attack by German aircraft. Before the concentrated antiaircraft fire of Falgout and the other escorts could drive them off, they blew up an ammunition ship, sank a destroyer, and damaged several of the merchantmen.

With the other escorts picking up survivors or escorting the damaged ships into the nearest port, Algiers, Falgout screened the convoy on to its original destination, Bizerte. The homeward bound passage of this same voyage was also a difficult one; on 3 May, one of the escorts was torpedoed and had to put into Algiers for repairs.

Two of the other escorts sank the submarine which had crippled their sister, but on 5 May, another of the escort was torpedoed, and sank. Falgout and the remaining escorts brought the convoy safely home, not a merchantman lost. On her third convoy voyage, while Gibraltar-bound in the Mediterranean, Falgout took prisoner from the sea four downed German aviators.

All WWII veterans, veterans living at the Rhode Island Veterans Home, staff at the Rhode Island Veterans Home  and their guest have been invited to Louie’s 100 year at the birthday party, Perella’s Ristorante, 430-630 pm.