Ortt Honors WWII Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, and Lockport Resident With 2019 New York State “Veterans’ Hall Of Fame” Award

Today, Sen. Rob Ortt (R,C,I,Ref-North Tonawanda) honored U.S. Army Private First Class (PFC), Anthony Santoro, with a New York State “Veterans’ Hall of Fame” Award for his service in Germany during WWII.

A native of Buffalo, NY, PFC Santoro enlisted into the U.S. Army upon graduating high school in 1944 and proudly served with the 10^th Armored Division, Company A – Armored Infantry. In April of 1945, while on patrol in Heilbronn, Germany, Tony was severely injured when a German 88-Cannon shell hit the tank he was patrolling alongside. The explosion left PFC Santoro with nerve damage and shrapnel injuries to his back. Tony would spend the next seven months in hospitals in Betel, France and Staten Island, New York. In 1945, PFC Santoro was awarded a Purple Heart and was medically discharged as a Private First Class.

“Because of the sacrifices by young men like PFC Santoro, the world was saved from fascism and tyranny,” said Sen. Ortt. “Today, we are afforded the freedoms of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness because of American heroes like PFC Santoro and the millions of veterans that have served after him. I am honored to celebrate this man, and thank him for his service to our great nation.”

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