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Interview Overview

  • Interviewee: Retired Army Colonel Lawrence DeCunto
  • Interviewer: Jason Stewart
  • Date: October 24, 2008
  • Location: Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University; conducted via phone from Tacoma, Washington.

Biographical Information

Early Life

  • Birth: Born in Brooklyn, New York, December 1939.

Parents' Background

  • Father:
    • Name: Lawrence DeCunto
    • Year of Birth: 1912
    • Education: Attended two years of high school.
    • Occupation: Insurance broker and underwriter in New York City.
  • Mother:
    • Name: Rose Monocchio DeCunto (born October 1908).
    • Education: Achieved only a 10th-grade education.
    • Occupation: Seamstress.

Childhood in Brooklyn

Neighborhood and Education

  • Grew up in Borough Park, a predominantly Italian neighborhood.
  • Attended a public grade school with a mix of Italian and Jewish children.
  • Later attended a Catholic Jesuit high school.

Boy Scouts Experience

  • Joined Boy Scouts at age 11; became very active.
  • Achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
  • Gained skills in self-reliance, enduring discomfort, which he correlated to future military training.

Memories of World War II

Early Memories

  • First Memory: Watching discussions about Pearl Harbor as a young child, influenced by a tricycle gift from godmother.
  • Significant Events: Remembered the Schweinfurt raids and their implications during the war; later assigned to command in Schweinfurt.

Family Military Background

  • Uncle served in the Air Force; another uncle drafted shortly after World War II.
  • Father almost drafted but exempted due to new laws regarding parents with multiple children.

VE Day Celebrations

  • Participated in neighborhood celebrations on VE Day; described a close-knit and culturally rich community with block parties.

Education Path

High School Experience

  • Father passed away when DeCunto was 11; mother emphasized strong male influences in his life.
  • Attended Brooklyn Preparatory High School, a Jesuit institution: highly competitive with 300 spots available for 1,200 applicants.
  • Described as a working-class school, significant in shaping his academic and moral outlook.

College Journey

  • Attended Marquette University for civil engineering.
  • Active in ROTC; found alternative pathways to commission after initial interest in West Point was hampered by corruption.
  • Became a distinguished military graduate via ROTC, paying three-quarters of college expenses through co-op arrangements.

Military Career Aspirations

Motivation for Military Service

  • Inspired by childhood experiences during World War II.
  • Viewed military service as honorable and chivalrous from an early age.
  • Attempted to secure a primary appointment to West Point; ultimately chose ROTC due to disillusionment with corruption in the appointment process.

Mother's Reaction to Military Decision

  • Initial disappointment regarding DeCunto's military career, later came to accept it as a worthy path, reflecting her growing understanding of military careers for educated individuals.

ROTC Training Experience

Structure and Curriculum

  • Marquette University's ROTC program provided academic credits, with requirements to take ROTC or physical training.
  • Instruction by experienced military personnel, including full colonels and field-grade officers.
  • Specialized engineering ROTC program, producing officers primarily for the Corps of Engineers.
  • Courses included soldier skills, communications, map reading, and military history.
  • Summer camp after the third year led to subsequent basic officer training.