Anthony J. Mancuso was born on September 15, 1921 in Omaha, NE. He was the youngest of six children born to Sicilian immigrants, James and Sanda Mancuso. The Mancuso’s lived at 2221 Pacific Street in Omaha.

Known as Buddy to his family and Tony to his friends, he spent much of his childhood loving and playing sports – especially baseball and football. His love of sports continued when he attended Creighton Prep High School.

Buddy didn’t just love sports; he was good at sports. He played on one of the most successful American Legion baseball teams in Nebraska history – the McDevitts, who made it to the 1937 American Legion national semi-final. In 1939, he captained the Creighton Prep football team and was named to the All-City and All-State squads.

After graduating from Creighton Prep, Buddy attended Creighton University where he played football until he enlisted in the Army in June 1943. Enlisting with him were six of his football teammates from Creighton Prep. The seven boys from Prep who played football together in high school eventually fought together while serving in the same company in Italy.

In addition to sports, Buddy had another love in his life – Mary Defasi. Buddy stayed by Mary’s side through a serious illness and they began making plans to spend the rest of their lives together.

On June 10, 1944, Buddy and Mary were married at St. Agnes church in Omaha. But before they could spend the rest of their lives together, Buddy had a job to do – fighting for his country.

When Buddy shipped out in early 1945, the United States had been at war for more than three years. By April, the outcome of the war in Europe was a foregone conclusion. The allies had turned back Hitler’s last-ditch offensive at the Battle of Bulge, and the German military was faltering. However, the war raged on.

In the spring of 1945, nowhere was the fighting more intense than in Italy where Buddy was serving in the 5th Army, 10th Mountain Division, 85th Mountain Infantry Regiment, Company K.

In mid-April, the 10th Mountain Division launched an assault on the German occupied hills north of Monte della Spe. From all accounts, the battle was brutal and bloody.

On April 15, Buddy was the lead scout of a squad fighting on Hill 913. As he approached an enemy position, a German soldier threw a grenade toward Buddy’s squad. Instead of protecting himself, Buddy warned his fellow soldiers of the incoming grenade. He was fatally wounded as a result of the blast from that grenade. He was 23 years old.

Three weeks later, on May 7, Mary Mancuso was notified that her husband was killed in action. The next day, Germany officially surrendered bringing an end to the war in Europe. While the nation celebrated V-E Day, those close to Buddy Mancuso mourned the loss of a son, a brother, a husband, a teammate, and a friend.

As a result of his actions to save his fellow soldiers, Buddy was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his gallantry in action. In a ceremony on September 20, 1945, Brig. Gen. Paul X. English noted that Buddy “died as an American soldier on the soil from which his forebears came.”

Buddy’s body was returned to Omaha in November 1948, and a funeral service was held at St. Ann’s Church. Serving as pallbearers and paying a final tribute to their friend, teammate, and fellow soldier were Buddy’s six Creighton Prep teammates who became brothers-in-arms.

PFC Anthony J. “Buddy” Mancuso was laid to rest at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Omaha.