WWII vet ‘Bazooka Joe’ Pietroforte celebrates 107th birthday in Studio City
By JOSE HERRERA | City News Service
Surrounded by friends and staff at the Studio City assisted-living facility where he lives and serenaded by a Marilyn Monroe impersonator, World War II veteran Joseph Pietroforte on Friday enjoyed an early celebration for his 107th birthday.
At Ivy Park, they know him as “Bazooka Joe,” a reference to his military legacy and his heroic actions in the Battle of Bulge, the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front in World War II.
Pietroforte is their “social butterfly,” as one staff member put it. He loves Marilyn Monroe, music and swing dancing — which he participates in every Tuesday.
“I’m just happy to be here,” said Pietroforte, who turn 107 Sunday.
Asked if he had any advice for young people, Pietroforte added, “Listen to your parents. Try to get along with everybody.”
Pietroforte told City News Service it was “hard to say” what the key is for a life well-lived, adding “I’ve been through so many different phases of living.”
The celebration was a full-circle moment, according to Michael “Monty” Montgomery, director of business development for Liem Hospice.
Montgomery met Pietroforte about five months ago at Ivy Park, where the two traded stories.
Montgomery, who was a medic with the Marine Corps, explained his ancestral lineage went back to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, nicknamed “Monty,” a senior British Army officer who served in both World Wars and the Irish War of Independence.
In 1944, Pietroforte worked in a local hospital, and was not yet an American citizen, when he was drafted into the army as a rifleman. He was initially assigned to the 1st Infantry Division and later transferred to Gen. George Patton’s 5th Infantry Division.
Both Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery and Pietroforte fought in the Battle of the Bulge, which lasted from mid-December 1944 to late January 1945.
“He’s spry. He still goes to swing dance,” Michael Montgomery told CNS. “If only all of us could be that amazing. The sacrifice that he made. He’s part of the Battle of the Bulge — that was no easy feat. So, the fact that he’s still here is a testament to his bravery and his resilience.”
During the Battle of the Bulge, Pietroforte took out two enemy tanks with his bazooka, earning him the nickname “Bazooka Joe.” Through his quick actions, he was able to save members of his unit.
Pietroforte was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery and duty, as well as a Bronze Star.
At the age of 90, Pietroforte gave a nearly two-hour interview with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which can be seen at www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.73512, where he recounts his time in the military and experience in World War II. The interview was part of the Veterans History Project Collection.
Born in 1920 in Bari, Italy, Pietroforte came to the U.S. with his parents, where they moved to Philadelphia. He grew up with seven brothers and a sister.
In previous interviews, Pietroforte has emphasized the importance of family and hard work. After the war, he managed drive-in theaters in the San Fernando Valley then turned to film distribution and production.
After a stint in Greece, Pietroforte fell in love with cars. He restored classics such as a 1939 English Alvis, a 1934 Bugatti, a 1945 Cadillac convertible, and a 1956 Cadillac station wagon.
Pietroforte moved to the San Fernando Valley in the late 1940s. He later married his wife, Dorothy, and began a family.
After retiring, he led the American Foreign Legion Van Nuys Post 193 and continued to volunteer with the Sepulveda VA Medical Center.
Pietroforte said he’s expecting a visit from his son this weekend, and sees his granddaughter from time to time.