Mario D. Fattore
Mario D. Fattore
MARIO D. FATTORE was born in New Jersey on February 3, 1920 to Domenic and Domenica Fattore, who had come to America from Italy, in 1903 and 1913 respectively. Domenic Fattore worked as a cement finisher. Louis Fattore, named Luigi at birth, was their first child. He was followed by Mario, Domenic Jr., Mary, and Leona. There was also a step-son, Alberto J. Fattore. The family was living in 1930 at 926 South 5th Street in Camden NJ. They later moved to 826 South 5th Street.
Older brother Louis Fattore enlisted into the Army in March of 1942 and reported to Fort Dix NJ. By October of 1942 he had been promoted to Sergeant, and was stationed at Fort Bragg NC. He volunteered for parachute duty, and was trained at Fort Benning GA. Assigned to the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), Louis Fattore took part in the invasion of Sicily, and was killed in action there on July 21, 1943.
Mario Fattore enlisted in the United States Army in Camden on July 19, 1939. He was designated to serve in the Philippine Islands, however, as of this writing details of his service are unknown.
Mario Fattore married Alfreda Ostruska around 1942. The marriage produced three children, daughters Kathi and Michelle, and son Louis Fattore.
On March 2, 1948 Mario Fattore was appointed to the Camden Fire Department. He reported to duty with Engine Company 6 the following day.
The 1956 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory shows the Fattore family living at 1222 Morton Street. By October of 1959 they had moved to 1082 Thurman Street.
Mario Fattore served with Engine 6 until health problems caused him to be temporarily assigned to the Fire School, on March 9, 1961. A few weeks later, on April 3, 1961 he was assigned to the Fire Marshall’s office, where he remained until June 1, 1961 when he retired on a disability pension.
Mario Fattore later moved to 4103 Camden Avenue in Pennsauken. He was living at that address in 1967 when his son Louis Fattore was appointed to the Camden Fire Department, where he would serve for seven years before leaving the department on a disability pension. By 1970 Mario Fattore had moved to Sloan Avenue in Collingswood, New Jersey. He passed away on July 31, 1994. He was survived by his wife Alfreda and his three children.
Engine Company 6 Wagon and Pumper at Front & Linden Streets, circa 1948
Left column, from left: Captain William Deitz, Firemen Robert Dukes, Harrison Pike, Mario Fattore, Edwin Callahan. Right column, from left: Firemen Thomas McParland, Philip Farrow, Thomas Winstanley, James Stewart, Ernest Tartaglia, John “Shorty” Prucella
Engine Company 6 Wagon and Pumper at Front & Linden Streets, circa 1949
On apparatus John Prucella and Harrison Pike — Motor Pump Operators, l to r: Philip Farrow, Edwin Callahan, Thomas McParland, Robert Dukes, Captain William Deitz, Thomas Winstanley, James Stewart, Mario Fattore, and Ernest Tartaglia
Camden Courier-Post — June 1950
Firefighters Fete 'Shorty' Prucella After 39 Years in Service of City
A GOLD WATCH in recognition of his many years of service with the Camden fire department was presented Tuesday to John B. “Shorty” Prucella, 75, retiring member of Engine Co. 6, by his “buddies” of the station. Prucella, who will retire July 15 after 39 years, is given the watch by Hoseman Ernest Tartaglia. Standing, left to right, second row, are Capt. William H. Deitz, P. Farrow, E. Callahan, H. Pike, H. Needham and Capt. Harold Megee; back row, Capt. Thomas Winstanley, of No. 2 Engine Co.; M. Fattore, T. McParland and William Reed.
John B. “Shorty” Prucella on July 15 is going to stop fighting fires, rescuing cats up poles and trees, returning lost children to anxious parents and marching in parades.
On that date Prucella, oldest member of No. 6 Engine Co., will go on pension after 39 years service.
Shorty, as the other eight members an two captains of his company call him, is 75. He is one of the two remaining veteran fire fighters in the city who formerly drove horse-drawn apparatus.
The other horse driver is Battalion Chief Clarence Madden.
Prucella joined the city electrical bureau in April, 1910, and after 19 months service, transferred in November 1911 to the fire department. It was at Engine Co. No. 5, formerly at Twelfth and Federal streets, where he drove a horse-drawn fire truck.
Later, Prucella served at No. 4 Engine Co., formerly at Fourth and Vine streets. He has been stationed at No. 6 company, Front and Linden streets, for the last 17 years.
Shorty’s comrades, in a surprise ceremony Tuesday, presented him with a gold watch. Attending the affair were Captains William H. Deitz and Harold Megee, of the same company; Firemen P. Farrow, E. Callahan, H. Pike, H. Needham, M. Fattore, T. McFarland, William Reed and Ernest Tartaglia, and Battalion Chiefs Edgar Ellender and Howard Gick.
Prucella lives at 919 Penn street with his wife, Hattie; a daughter, Elizabeth, and a son, Raymond. He has two grandchildren.
Will Take It Easy
The veteran smoke-eater announced his future plans call for “taking it easy” and reminiscing about old times.
“The 'fire department' is gone now,” Prucella commented. “What people called the fire department went out with the horses. Horses gave something to fire fighting, and when they left there just wasn’t any 'fire department.'
“Of course, considering that out engines get out of the fire house in 20 seconds today, is enough to show that horses could never compare with anything we have today. But the horse drawn wagons got out of the firehouse in two minutes, and Heaven help the man who got in their way.
“It hurt when the old plugs were taken away. The keenest horse we owned was turned over to the street cleaning department.”
Biggest fire in Prucella’s experience was the Hollingshed fire in 1940, but he doesn’t like to think about it because 14 persons lost their lives.
Prucella is a member of the International Firefighters Association, Police and Fire Club, Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association and the Camden Lodge of Moose.
5 Children Die in South Jersey Waters
Camden Courier-Post —
Auto Plunge, Fishing Mishap Hit 2 Families
Five children were drowned Wednesday in two separate water mishaps in the South Jersey area.
A brother and sister lost their lives in a futile attempt to save another sister who toppled into Cooper River in Camden County Park shortly after 4:15 p.m.
At Sea Isle City the two children of an RCA official drowned when a car driven by their mother plunged into a 20-foot channel.
Victims of the Cooper River tragedy were Riley Drummond, 12, and his sisters, Terry, 7, and Mary, 8. They were the children of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Drummond, of 912 Chestnut st.
Planning N. J. Home
The two who lost their lives in Sea Isle City were Charles Daly 3d, 10, and his sister, Ellen Patricia, 7, whose parents, Charles and Eleanor K. Daly, recently sold their home at 135 Woodlawn ave., Upper Darby, Pa., preparatory to occupying their new home at 828 Longwood dr., Haddonfield.
The Drummond children drowned shortly after 4 o’clock less than a block from Kaighns ave. They had been fishing all afternoon alongside the park dam bridge.
The lone witness to the tragedy, Albert J. Davis, 11, of 917 Chestnut st., who had been with the three, told police that Mary stepped on a rock, slipped and toppled into the water. Hearing her sister scream, Terry jumped into the river. Riley followed his sisters in an effort to save them. Albert said the two girls disappeared immediately. Riley started back to the bank but slipped backwards into the water.
Soldiers Lend Aid
The Davis boy ran three blocks to the location of B Battery, 19th AA Battalion and told the soldiers there of the accident. They notified police and firemen. At the same time nine enlisted men ran to the river and began diving for the children.
Rescue Squad 1 from 5th and Arch sts. went to the scene and was joined by the Highland Emergency Squad of Pennsauken Township.
Police and firemen grappled from rowboats while the soldiers in bathing suits searched underwater. The bodies of Terry and Riley were recovered half an hour later. Rescue squad crewmen worked for more than 35 minutes in an effort to revive them. Dr. William A. West, of Cooper Hospital, pronounced the two dead.
Third Body Recovered
The body of Mary eluded all recovery efforts until shortly after 9 p.m. when it was located by Edward Brendlinger, a fireman attached to the rescue squad. It was found 25 feet offshore and within 20 feet of the spot where Riley and Terry’s bodies were taken from the water. Firemen said the water is 16 feet deep.
Mary’s body was taken to Cooper Hospital morgue where she was pronounced dead.
The rescue efforts were directed by Fire Chief Harry Wagner.
Father Collapses
The children’s father, a stevedore employed by the Independent Pier Co., Philadelphia, was reported to have collapsed when he learned of the tragedy. He later joined the crowd estimated at 2000 people which lined the river bank to watch the grappling.
Drummond said the three children never had been to the river, having been told to keep away from the water. He said he was surprised to learn the children had been using homemade fishing poles.
Ironically, Mrs. Viola Ringo, 20, a married sister of the three children, was driving by the scene and saw the crowds watching the rescue attempts. She joined the throng and when Riley’s body was brought out of the water, police said she cried hysterically, “That’s my brother.” In addition to Mrs. Ringo, the Drummonds have two other children, Josephine, 15, and Karl, 23.
NO HOPE is expressed in the face of this fireman as he and other firemen vainly try to revive Riley Drummond, 12, and his sister, Terry, 7, two of the three Drummond children drowned Wednesday afternoon at Cooper River Park. The body of the third victim, Mary, 8, was taken from the river five hours later. Shown working (left to right) are Fireman Wesley Faust, Capt. Arthur Batten, Firemen John Yates, of Rescue Squad 1, Mario Fattore, of Engine 2, and Henry Keebler [sic], of Engine 3.
Engine Company 11 on Drill with the 2nd Platoon — Cramer Hill, 1956
Engine Company 11 on a drill with the 2nd Platoon — Cramer Hill, 1956. From Left: Fireman Ed Kreher, Fireman Mario Fattore, Fireman Frank Deal, Captain Ed Robbins, Fireman Charles Bates
Fire Prevention Week at Camden Post Office
Camden Courier-Post —
FIRE PREVENTION WEEK was observed Thursday at the Camden Post Office when the building was evacuated during a simulated fire. Postmaster Edward Praiss (right) directed removal of the mail. Among those assisting are hosemen Francis Stibi and Mario Fattore (at left in photo).
Firemen Here Get Advanced First Aid Course
Camden Courier-Post —
More than 40 members of the Camden Fire Department have completed the Red Cross course in advanced first aid according to announcement today by Howard F. Keller, Collingswood, chairman of the Camden County Chapter’s first aid committee.
Instruction sessions were under the direction of Fire Chief William V. Pfefferle, Drillmaster Anthony Dzinski, a member of the local chapter first aid group, assisted by Nicholas E. George, were instructors. Dzinski is a member of the Red Cross faculty at the National Aquatic School held in this area each year for instruction in advance safety techniques. Dick Harris, director of Red Cross safety services, supervised.
All members of the graduating class are personnel of several units housed at fire department headquarters here. These include the Headquarters Company, Engine Company 2, Rescue Squad 1 and truck company 1. these groups include:
Rescue Squad: Captains Arthur Batten, Philip A. Stinger and albert weller; Edward Brendlinger, harrison macneir, Robert Olesiewicz and james w. smith.
Headquarters Company: raymond banford, John K. Voll and john w. yates.
Truck Company 1: Captains Daniel Jiannetto, Robert E. Dukes and otto v. kaiser; William Watkin, chester gedrich, George Baxter, john mogck, George C. Hennessy, Charles Devlin, Ambrose W. Faust, joseph mctaggart, Howard R. Taggart, William G. Winstanley and elmer johnson jr.
Engine Company 2: Captains James R. Asher, thomas winstanley; Carl Wirtz, james mcgrory, Edwin V. Decker, james stewart, Francis X. McTaggart, anthony t. orme, Mario D. Fattore, james o. jones, Francis P. Stibi, william hopkins, Robert E. Briggs, John Giuliano, casper martelli, Harold H. Pike, john j. vane, William Stibi, john dimaggio and Harry Kleinfelder.
Fire Department Records
Camden Fire Department record — Mario D. Fattore