Lewis A. Riondino

SERGEANT LEWIS A. RIONDINO was born in 1911 in Pennsylvania to Salvatore and Selina Riondino, Italian immigrants who had both come to America in 1904. On census records from 1920 and 1930 he is known as Louis Riondino. The Riondinos met and married in Pennsylvania, where Louis, originally named Luigi and his sister Anna were born. By 1913 the family had come over the Delaware to New Jersey, and were blessed with two more children, Amelia and Antonio. In 1920 the family was renting a home at 1067 Ivins Street, between the 100 blocks of Chestnut and Mount Vernon  Streets in South Camden. Salvatore Riondino was working as a washer at the Eavenson & Levering factory at South 4th and Jackson Streets, a short walk from what by 1930 was the family home, bought at 1474 South 4th Street in Camden, on the corner of South 4th Street and Whitman Avenue. Salvatore was worked then as an operator in a nearby pants factory, and the three oldest children were already working. Louis Riondino worked setting up retail stores in the 1930s. Prior to being inducted into the Army, was managing a retail shoe store in Philadelphia PA. 

When America instituted the draft, Louis Riondino was called to service. Assigned to the 322nd Fighter Control Squadron, he was sent to the China-Burma-India Theatre of Operations by way of North Africa, departing in October of 1943. While en route from Oran to the Suez Canal, the transport he was on was attacked by German air forces. His ship, the HMT Rohna was struck by a guided missile on November 26, 1943, and sank. Louis Riondino was one of 1015 American casualties that day. He was survived by his parents, brothers, and sisters, of Camden, and an uncle, Antonio Riondino, in Italy. 

EVENING COURIER
CAMDEN, N.J., TUESDAY, JUNE !3, 1944

15 DEAD, 2 MISSING FROM SOUTH JERSEY
Former Camden Resident, Holder of Six Awards, Among New Casualties
SHILOH FLIER LISTED DOWNED IN EUROPE

Fifteen South Jersey men were among the 1511 reported by the War Department today as killed in action on the six fighting fronts. Two others from this area are reported missing.

Killed:
   Staff Sergeant Ronald J. Pearce, of 330 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, formerly of 3404 Federal Street, Camden.
   Private First Class Charles La Porta, of 142 Chestnut Street, Williamstown.
   Private Frank Ballerino, of 2004 South 10th Street, Camden.
   Sergeant Elmer F. Day, of 521 Lexington Avenue, Merchantville.
   Corporal William T. Eastlack, of 142 I Street, Carney's Point.
   Private Clarence T. Jaggers, of Columbia Road and St. James Walk, National Park.
   Sergeant Carl E. Johanson, of 5019 Jefferson Avenue, Pennsauken.
   Corporal Steven V. Koscianski, of 966 Bulson Street, Camden.
   Private First Class William R. McKeon, of Pine Avenue, Blackwood.
   Sergeant Andrew W. Olsen, of Dorothy.
   Corporal Aldo Steffanice, of 74 Norman Avenue, Pennsgrove.
   Private First Class John A. Landicina, of 402 Southeast Avenue, Vineland.
   Michael Carr, of 1059 Everett street, Camden.
   Captain Carlton P. Hogan, of 207 East Union Street, Burlington.
   Corporal Millard E. Buckingham, of 38 Grant Street, Deepwater.

Missing:
   Lt. Robert Probasco, of Shiloh.
   Lt. John Ruggiero, of Bridgeboro Road, Beverly.

3 On Troopship Lost

Ballerino, Koscianski, and Carr are believed to have met their fates on the same transport. War Department telegrams to families of all three men reveal that each was a passenger on a troopship that was lost due to enemy action in the Mediterranean on Nov. 27, 1943. All have been awarded Purple Hearts.

The following reported as dead in today's official casualty list were previously reported as missing: Sergeant Day, Private Jaggers, Corporal Koscianski, Private McKeon, and Private Steffanice.

Also listed as dead in today's official casualty list but previously reported in these columns are: Private Michael Yachus, 679 Ferry Avenue, Camden; Joseph H. Johnson, 1273 South Merrimac Road, Camden; Private Harry V. Taylor, 3 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield; Private Merl H. Reagle, Maple Avenue, Lindenwold; Private Jacob K. Jenkins, Marne Highway, Mt. Holly, formerly of Pennsauken; Private Harry E. Harker, 6 Beach Avenue Blackwood; PFC Jack S. Dubois,  Church Street, Williamstown, and Charles R. Stewart Jr., 319 Linden Street, Camden.