T-4.
Frank J. "Perco" Perconte was a former paratrooper and NCO of Easy Company.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Perconte was born on March 10th, 1917 in Joliet Illinois, where he was also raised. In 1935 during the Great Depression, he graduated from Joliet Central High School and moved with some of his friends to Gary, Indiana, working at a steel mill there. He enlisted into the paratroopers seven years later on August 17th, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, becoming one of the first men assigned to Easy Company.
WWII[]
Perconte was assigned to 1st Platoon. His company commander was 1st Lt. Herbert Sobel, who was known to push the men to their limits and was very strict about the slightest infraction. Perconte was once caught with creases on his pants, making it look like he was blousing them like a paratrooper, and Sobel said, "Volunteering for the Airborne is one thing, Perconte, but you've got a long way before you can prove you really belong here. Your weekend pass is revoked."
After basic training, Perconte went to Fort Benning, and made a jump, qualifying him as a paratrooper. While celebrating, he came to Johnny Martin and mentioned that Martin would be mistaken for someone (Perconte), if he had any style. Martin replied, "You mean like your fucking Sergeant?". Perconte said he was just kidding, and congratulated Martin on his promotion. Sometime during training at Camps Mackall and Shanks, Perconte met and married a woman named Evelyn. She gave birth to a son named Richard. He was 28 months old when Perconte left in 1943 for England.
Perconte jumped into Normandy on Operation Overlord On June 6, 1944. He landed at Ste. Marie-du-Monte. After hooking up with men from different units, he and his companions waited at a farmhouse. The farmer's wife told them that it was safe at night because the Germans came in the morning for milk. Perconte and the others waited, however, and ambushed the Germans in the morning.
He returned to his Company sometime after. He collected watches from dead Germans, which he showed to Private Albert Blithe. He survived Carentan and made it back to England on July 9.
He then jumped into Holland on September 17, as part of Operation Market-Garden. Sometime during the Operation, Easy Company suffered a fierce tank attack at the town of Nuenen. The Operation ended on September 25, but Perconte and the men continued fighting. They relieved a British unit on October 2 in an area known as "The Island". They then took out a German unit on October 5. They then were relieved on November 26 by a Canadian unit.
On December 17, Perconte and the others relieved the 28th Infantry Regiment in the Ardennes Forest, Belgium, and were stationed at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Perconte described it as, "It was damned cold and the Germans were everywhere". During the attack on Foy, Percont was shot through the waist, and out the buttocks by a sniper. He called it "A beautiful wound".
He returned to the Company at Haguenau and stayed with his unit. They eventually headed to occupy Germany on April 2, 1945.
The maybe real Perconte
At the town of Landsberg, while patrolling, they discovered a Concentration Camp. He alerted Richard Winters of this, and they liberated the camp.
The war in Germany ended on May 8, and Perconte returned home.
Later life[]
Perconte today
After the war, he settled down with his wife and son at Joliet, Illinois, and he became a postman.
When the miniseries came out, Perconte loved the attention. He became friends with James Madio, who was the man that portrayed him.
He died on October 24th, 2013 at the age of 96.
Personality[]
Vinny in real life was a real sneak. He stole watches, albums, curtains, you name it. "The guy, what can I say? he was a real maniac" - (Sgt. Gonorrhea). RIP Vinny Perconte, still alive today!