Anthony Bianconi was born in September 1920 in Youngstown, Ohio. When he was quite young, his family moved to Mount Kisko, New York. He considers Mount Kisko his hometown. His father was a gardener for a large estate, but during winter, he went to New York City [Annotator's Note: New York, New York] to shovel snow for income. Bianconi considered himself a poor boy during that time, but he had a good upbringing under the circumstances. He graduated from high school. He enrolled in classes in shorthand and home economics. He worked as a soda jerk in Brooklyn [Annotator's Note: the Bronx is one of the five boroughs in New York, New York]. He had his sights set on becoming an executive secretary to assist a business executive. He obtained a well-paying job in that capacity after completing one term in college. He worked at the job for ten- or 15-years learning plumbing and heating business details. The on-the-job training taught Bianconi more that if he had gone to college. He learned that working with your hands could result in nice paychecks each week particularly if the worker belonged to a union. After graduation from school, Bianconi was scheduled to join the band on the USS Arizona [Annotator's Note: USS Arizona (BB-39)] just prior to Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941 resulted in the destruction of the Arizona]. Instead, a friend of Bianconi named Jack [Annotator's Note: no surname provided] was sent to the Arizona in his place. Meanwhile, Bianconi was assigned to the USS Philadelphia [Annotator's Note: USS Philadelphia (CL-41)]. Bianconi was training during the attack and was in dry dock with his ship in Boston [Annotator's Note: Boston, Massachusetts]. The Philadelphia immediately went to general quarters even though it was docked. The crew manned their stations, but nothing happened. People were frantic and did not know what to expect. It had been peacetime, but things were boiling up prior to the Japanese attack. When Bianconi checked on the Arizona, he found that the crew had been wiped out. Even though Bianconi was a musician, he manned the magazine and passed the ammunition to the gun crews during general quarters. He found out his friend who had taken his place on Arizona was gone shortly after the attack [Annotator's Note: Bianconi references a book and author neither of which he names specifically].

Anthony Bianconi was in dry dock [Annotator's Note: as a musician and ammunition bearer on the USS Philadelphia (CL-41)] when Pearl Harbor was attacked [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. Following completion of training off Maine, his first combat came after reaching Mers-el-Kébir, near Oran, Algeria in North Africa. The Philadelphia remained with the Mediterranean fleet after that. The cruiser had performed convoy duty and troop transport prior to reaching the Mediterranean. The convoy duty in the North Atlantic was wicked with heavy waves pummeling his large ship. One man washed off a tin can [Annotator's Note: nickname for a destroyer]. Another destroyer went down in the waves. Submarine threats were a reality during those times. Bianconi shared quarters with the band. Different engineering, boiler room, and other crewmen did not mingle much with the band. The band performed concerts and did their watches as assigned. During the graveyard shift, which was 12 to four o'clock at night, Bianconi was in the magazine [Annotator's Note: name for an item or place within which ammunition or other explosive material is stored] during the convoy. Bianconi would spit polish his shoes during that time. He could hear when depth charges [Annotator's Note: also called a depth bomb; an anti-submarine explosive munition resembling a metal barrel or drum] were dropped on submarines in the area. He always hoped the explosions would get the enemy. While at Oran, the Philadelphia supported amphibious landings with shore bombardment. As a young man, Bianconi was frightened by the wartime experiences. Contact with home was limited because information was censored.

Anthony Bianconi [Annotator's Note:a musician and ammunition loader on the USS Philadelphia (CL-41)] went from North Africa to Palermo, Sicily to support the advance of Patton's troops [Annotator's Note: US Army Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr.]. Bianconi and the Philadelphia shelled German shoreline artillery emplacements. The ship knocked out bridges, machine gun positions, and other enemy locations. Bianconi was a loader for a 40mm pom-pom antiaircraft gun on the topside [Annotator's Note: Bofors 40mm antiaircraft automatic cannon]. The cruiser was oriented for a 15-gun salvo on an enemy position. Bianconi's gun was located on the opposite side as the direction of fire, so he was relaxing with a cigarette when he noticed something coming over the hills. It was five German torpedo bombers. Radar did not effectively identify them since the planes flew through the mountains. Bianconi shouted out a warning of the incoming planes. That set off a cacophony of machine gun fire. Bianconi was headed to his battle station when he was hit by shrapnel. It was near his heart, but a prayer book given to him by a priest on the ship deflected the trajectory and saved Bianconi's life. Two weeks later, another air raid took down a loader next to Bianconi. It was a second close call. The third time was during a bombardment of the Italian mainland. Bianconi pivoted from his position and a piece of shrapnel dropped right where he had previously been standing. After that, Bianconi was not afraid of combat. He thought he was being looked after. The prayer book got him through it all. Bianconi was a religious Catholic and felt it was good for him. The ship was a happy ship. Bianconi did dance band and stage door canteen work. There were dances aboard ship and Martha Raye [Annotator's Note: nicknamed The Big Mouth, American comic actress and singer]] entertained the crew. Playing his instrument helped Bianconi through the war years. It took him away from concentrating on the war and worrying about the potential consequences. Playing in officer's clubs, Bianconi was able to see how the other half lived. He later played nearly every day in Washington, D.C. at Arlington Cemetery [Annotator's Note: Arlington National Cemetery, United States military cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia] for burials of generals and admirals. The Philadelphia was referred to as the Galloping Ghost of the Sicilian Coast. The Germans were after them for their support of Patton. At the Bay of Salerno [Annotator's Note: in Salerno, Italy], a radio bomb targeted the Philadelphia. It missed her but hit another ship instead. The force of the explosion raised the ship out of the water. At Palermo [Annotator's Note: Palermo in Sicily, Italy], enemy planes would drop flares and try to hit the Philadelphia with torpedoes. A tin can [Annotator's Note: nickname for a destroyer] got hit instead. It was lifted out of the water. It could have been the Philadelphia.

Anthony Bianconi [Annotator's Note: a musician and ammunition loader on the cruiser USS Philadelphia (CL-41)] and his ship went to Naples, Italy after Sicily. They saw Mount Vesuvius erupt. It was a dramatic scene that almost wiped out a village below. When Italy capitulated, the Philadelphia was on its way to Normandy [Annotator's Note: Normandy, France] with Admiral Hewitt [Annotator's Note: US Navy Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt] aboard. Eisenhower [Annotator's Note: General of the Army Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower, Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force; 34th President of the United States] recognized that the war was continuing despite the surrender of Italy. Consequently, the cruiser was rerouted to Toulon [Annotator's Note: Toulon, France] and Marseilles [Annotator's Note: Marseilles, France]. The French resistance was having a big parade in Marseilles and the Philadelphia was to be part of the events. Bianconi was amazed at all the sites he saw even in the Red-Light District [Annotator's Note: name for areas of a city where prostitution is legal]. The port and the French fleet were demolished. Mines were still scattered about. A Marine was on the foc'sle [Annotator's Note: forward most topside deck on the ship] shooting at them. The port was a disaster. Bianconi hated to think of what the poor French guys went through. A person had to be there to understand what happened. At Palermo [Annotator's Note: Palermo in Sicily, Italy], Bianconi was treated well by the local citizens and tried to reciprocate for them. Even if you see the messy situation, it is still hard to accept. With war, it is either you or them. After Germany surrendered, Bianconi was transferred back to the Navy Receiving Station in Washington [Annotator's Note: Washington, D.C.] to be discharged. It was 1946. Prior to discharge, he participated in miscellaneous patrols.

Anthony Bianconi [Annotator's Note: a musician and ammunition loader on the cruiser USS Philadelphia (CL-41)] was treated with mixed reactions when he returned home after the war. Some people did not seem to recognize what veterans like him had accomplished during their deployment. The reactions of some people today are even less appreciative of what the Great Depression [Annotator's Note: The Great Depression, a global economic depression that lasted from 1929 through 1945] and World War 2 survivors had managed to do. Life for him was hard after the war. Not only was Bianconi a musician, but he moonlighted as a waiter to earn extra money. He even applied as a bookkeeper at a funeral home. Obtaining work without a college degree was problematic. He found out that if you did not attend college, you were a dead duck in the business world. He attempted to enter college but found financing his education was not possible. He was disturbed by that, but he got revenge. He learned to write by reading the newspapers and following the rise of Hitler [Annotator's Note: German dictator Adolf Hitler]. Consequently, he won the American Legion Americanism Award for his paper on "The Great Russian Bear and the American Constitution: Our Bill of Rights.” He was chosen to speak as the valedictorian speaker at graduation. Instead, he was not allowed to go to the finals in Albany [Annotator's Note: Albany, New York] because of insufficient school finances. Bianconi knew better. It was because of him being on the wrong side of the road. It would have been supported had the girl with better grades been selected. The children from rich families would be allowed to go to college. He is frustrated with the lack of mathematics education of students today.

Anthony Bianconi feels strongly that World War 2 should be taught to youngsters today. There are guys under white crosses across the world that made the sacrifice so that citizens today could benefit. Institutions like The National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana] are important to promote the education of what happened during the war. The war made Bianconi suspicious of people. He no longer runs to join fund raising organizations. Bianconi is grateful for the workers today that support the income that he has been afforded. He is living a life beyond his earlier expectations. He is very supportive of the idea of military service for young people. They will be trained, fed and housed while in active duty. It is particularly beneficial for obtaining a job following discharge. Families that cannot afford a college education for their youth should consider that option. Local government primarily considers their personal benefits and not what best serves their constituents. Bianconi feels that citizens should think of their country and what they can do for it. After graduation, service in the military can provide a great education. Bianconi witnessed starvation in Africa. Our country wastes enough food to feed another country. Bianconi negotiated prearrangements for his cremation and funeral.