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Al Cordisco
Bristolian was a hero for his country and his community.
By Tim Chicirda, BucksLocalNews.com
Not only is Alfred (Al) Cordisco a member of the Bristol High School Class of 1940, but Air Force Staff Sergeant Al Cordisco has served for this country, while serving his community as part of a plethora of different organizations.
Cordisco is a 6-year member of the Robert W. Bracken Post No. 382. In fact, he has committed a total of almost 20 years, including his tenure in the National American Legion Organization.
The Robert W. Bracken Post, No. 382, formed September 28, 1919 with 62 ex-servicemen members, is a supportive group, a social club and a type of extended family for former service men and women.
In addition to organizing commemorative events, such as Flag Day, and marching in the Borough parades, manning a booth on Bristol Day and other volunteer activities, Legion members are active in U.S. politics.
The primary political activity is lobbying for the interests of veterans, including support for veterans benefits such as pensions and the Veterans Affairs hospital system.
One of the signers of the original charter was 1922-23 Commander/ Finance Officer, Jacob C. Schmidt, Jr., the grandfather of Horace P. Schmidt, Jr., owner of Schmidt’s Flowers. Also, Al's late cousin, Vincent Cordisco, directed the Bracken Cavaliers from 1944 to 1946.
Meanwhile, the American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual-help, wartime veterans’ organization.
Cordisco was born the fourth of six children, raised on Lincoln Avenue by his parents from Italy. Father John, a carpenter, married mother Assunta Pascuillo.
Al retired as a mechanic who possessed many skills in technical, electrical and electronic areas.
Cordisco and his late wife, Tullytown resident, Frances (Cuchineal) worked together at Keystone / Kaiser. Their courtship began after meeting at a Fifth Ward dance.
Al had another special bond with the Fifth Ward, as he held terms as both President and Secretary. He also co-founded the club in 1937.
(It merged with the Italian Mutual Aid in 1954 and is now know as the Italian Mutual Aid-5th Ward Association.)
Despite Al's many pre- and post-war accomplishments, one of his greatest life moments came while in the Air Force in the 1940s as the right waist gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress, the “Feather Merchant,” with a .50 caliber machine gun.
Waist gunners held a very difficult position in the Air Force, as waist windows on the B-17 were open to a 200 m.p.h. and -50 degree slipstream of air. Exposure to this extreme cold for even a few seconds could leave one with a mild frostbite and this cold would also cause ice to form in the oxygen masks of the gunners.
Depsite these difficulties, Staff Sergeant Cordisco was credited with destroying enemy aircraft over Augsburg, Germany. He was awarded an Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters and a Distinguished Flying Cross by General Ira Clarence Eaker of the 8th Air Force High Command, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.
During Cordisco's European Theatre of Operations duty, he was based in Rattlesden, England in the 8th Air Force and flew missions over Germany and France. Here, he partook in a raid over Berlin’s military and industrial targets on March 6, 1944.
According to Al, “I just did what I had to do.” Flight crews had a set number of missions, usually a tour of 30. Al is one of the fortunate 447th Bomb Group, self proclaimed “Lucky Bastards Club,” who rallied forward and returned no less than those 30 times.
But, like so many veterans, Al unsentimentally ventured back to his life after the war, marrying and raising a son, the late BHS grad, Michael Alfred. He also raised a daughter, Wal-Mart employee, Patricia Kervick, who has a son, BHS grad, Michael who currently resides with him.
He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #906.
Al also served as Sixth Ward (East Ward) Borough Councilman from 1956 to 1963. He has been a Democratic Committee Person for the past 25 years and has held Chairman positions on both the Police and the Street and Highway Committees.
Al Cordisco is truly a Bristol Borough legend, devoting his entire life to his country and to his community.
--
Cate Murway contributed to this article.
By Tim Chicirda, BucksLocalNews.com
Not only is Alfred (Al) Cordisco a member of the Bristol High School Class of 1940, but Air Force Staff Sergeant Al Cordisco has served for this country, while serving his community as part of a plethora of different organizations.
Cordisco is a 6-year member of the Robert W. Bracken Post No. 382. In fact, he has committed a total of almost 20 years, including his tenure in the National American Legion Organization.
The Robert W. Bracken Post, No. 382, formed September 28, 1919 with 62 ex-servicemen members, is a supportive group, a social club and a type of extended family for former service men and women.
In addition to organizing commemorative events, such as Flag Day, and marching in the Borough parades, manning a booth on Bristol Day and other volunteer activities, Legion members are active in U.S. politics.
The primary political activity is lobbying for the interests of veterans, including support for veterans benefits such as pensions and the Veterans Affairs hospital system.
One of the signers of the original charter was 1922-23 Commander/ Finance Officer, Jacob C. Schmidt, Jr., the grandfather of Horace P. Schmidt, Jr., owner of Schmidt’s Flowers. Also, Al's late cousin, Vincent Cordisco, directed the Bracken Cavaliers from 1944 to 1946.
Meanwhile, the American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual-help, wartime veterans’ organization.
Cordisco was born the fourth of six children, raised on Lincoln Avenue by his parents from Italy. Father John, a carpenter, married mother Assunta Pascuillo.
Al retired as a mechanic who possessed many skills in technical, electrical and electronic areas.
Cordisco and his late wife, Tullytown resident, Frances (Cuchineal) worked together at Keystone / Kaiser. Their courtship began after meeting at a Fifth Ward dance.
Al had another special bond with the Fifth Ward, as he held terms as both President and Secretary. He also co-founded the club in 1937.
(It merged with the Italian Mutual Aid in 1954 and is now know as the Italian Mutual Aid-5th Ward Association.)
Despite Al's many pre- and post-war accomplishments, one of his greatest life moments came while in the Air Force in the 1940s as the right waist gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress, the “Feather Merchant,” with a .50 caliber machine gun.
Waist gunners held a very difficult position in the Air Force, as waist windows on the B-17 were open to a 200 m.p.h. and -50 degree slipstream of air. Exposure to this extreme cold for even a few seconds could leave one with a mild frostbite and this cold would also cause ice to form in the oxygen masks of the gunners.
Depsite these difficulties, Staff Sergeant Cordisco was credited with destroying enemy aircraft over Augsburg, Germany. He was awarded an Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters and a Distinguished Flying Cross by General Ira Clarence Eaker of the 8th Air Force High Command, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.
During Cordisco's European Theatre of Operations duty, he was based in Rattlesden, England in the 8th Air Force and flew missions over Germany and France. Here, he partook in a raid over Berlin’s military and industrial targets on March 6, 1944.
According to Al, “I just did what I had to do.” Flight crews had a set number of missions, usually a tour of 30. Al is one of the fortunate 447th Bomb Group, self proclaimed “Lucky Bastards Club,” who rallied forward and returned no less than those 30 times.
But, like so many veterans, Al unsentimentally ventured back to his life after the war, marrying and raising a son, the late BHS grad, Michael Alfred. He also raised a daughter, Wal-Mart employee, Patricia Kervick, who has a son, BHS grad, Michael who currently resides with him.
He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #906.
Al also served as Sixth Ward (East Ward) Borough Councilman from 1956 to 1963. He has been a Democratic Committee Person for the past 25 years and has held Chairman positions on both the Police and the Street and Highway Committees.
Al Cordisco is truly a Bristol Borough legend, devoting his entire life to his country and to his community.
--
Cate Murway contributed to this article.
posted by BucksLocalNews at
12:43 PM
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