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Hometown Heroes of WWII
Bianchi: Awarded the Bronze Star Medal
By Michael Rocchetti
Anita C. Bianchi (1918-2008) was awarded the Bronze Star Medal by direction of the President, for meritorious achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy. First Lieut. Anita C. Bianchi, was a member of the Army Nurse Corps and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Amilcare Bianchi of Putnam.
The lieutenant entered the Army Nurse Corps in January of 1941 and after two and one-half months at Camp Edwards was shipped to Australia. She also served overseas at New Guinea, Luzon, Leyte and the Philippines as well as in Australia. The citation, signed by O. W. Griswold, Lieutenant General, Commander U. S. Army XIV Corps, which accompanied the award, said “For meritorious achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy at Luzon. Philippine Islands, from 24 March to 15 August 1945. As the nurse in charge of the operating room of a Field Hospital, Lieutenant Bianchi’s untiring efforts and superior management of the Surgery Unit contributed much to the attainment of an enviable record of successful operations. Although she often worked as many as 20 hours continuously without rest, her constant cheerful attitude and great patience were an inspiration to the surgeons and enlisted technicians working in the operating room, and contributed immeasurably to the upkeep of their morale as well as that of the patients. Lieutenant Bianchi’s professional skill, untiring energy and loyal devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the Army Nurse Corps.”
In 1946 she left the service with the rank of Captain. Anita received her BS and MS for education from Central CT University. She worked in the education field for a couple of years in Glastonbury and Meriden, and was an outpatient operating room supervisor in Hartford. She was an industrial nurse for several years retiring as the Director of Public Health for the city of Meriden. She died April 26, 2008, at the age of 89 at Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine. She was married to John D. Ducas, and they had one daughter. She is buried at St Mary’s Cemetery in Putnam.
Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.
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