Son of Pietro Vitello and Rosalia Guercio, a Private in the 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Smithtown Branch, died in Romagne, France in World War I.

Born on 10 Mar 1896 in Palermo, Italy. He came to the U.S. on November 11, 1905 at the age of 9, aboard the Napoleon Prince, which sailed from Palermo, Italy to New York, NY, with his mother, Rosalia Guercio, aged 39, and siblings Margherita Vitello, aged 16, Castrenzo Vitello, aged 11, and Cecelia Vitello, aged 2. Their destination was to join his father, Pietro Vitello, at Houston Street, Brooklyn, NY. All were shown to be from San Guiseppe, Italy.

On June 5, 1914, Fortunato Vitello, aged 21, of Smithtown Branch, NY, stated that he was born on March 10, 1896 in Italy; was employed as a laborer for Toney Garuso of St. James, Smithtown; was single and had no dependents, when he registered for the draft during World War I.

He was living in Smithtown, NY, when he was inducted at Babylon, Suffolk County, NY on the 27th of April, 1918. Born in Palermo, Italy, he was 22 1/2 years old. He served as a private with 30 Co. 152 Dep. Brig to May 20, 1918; Battery C 301 F A to June 4, 1918; Co. K 303 Inf. to August 5, 1918; and Co. C 162 Inf. to August 15, 1918, fighting at St. Mihiel and Argonne. He was killed on October 7, 1918 of wounds received in action and Mrs. Rose Vitello, his mother, of Smithtown Branch, Long Island, was notified of his death.

On Memorial Day, 1932, St. James and Smithtown erected a memorial in memory of Smithtown's thirteen war dead in the form of thirteen elm trees planted at the Memorial Park at the Head of the River, by James Ely Miller Post of the American Legion. Those honored were Allen Crowe, Valentine A. Hemmer, William T. King, John J. McHugh, James Ely Miller, Donald C. Munro, James N. Nichols, Egbert E. Raynor, George F. Sherwood, William J. Sherwood, Herman A. Thompson, Fortunato Vitello, and Leon B. Williams.

Source: Find a Grave