26May1916 – 29May1944
Edison Days
Anthony attended Edison but did not graduate. No pictures from his time at Edison have been located at this time.
Military Service
Rank: Corporal
Branch: United States Army
Unit: Battery B – 141st Field Artillery Battalion
Anthony’s path to the Army is unknown. No information on his early military service have been located.
It is likely that Anthony joined the 141st in early 1943. Early that year the 141st conducted large scale training maneuverers in Tennessee and Georgia in preparation for deployment oversees. By June 1943 the unit was at Camp Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. Traveling by train, Anthony and the 141st arrived at Fort Dix, New Jersey on 12Aug1943.
10 Days later they were aboard ships as part of a massive naval convey bound for Oman, Algeria in northern Africa. They arrived in port on 31Aug1943.
The fighting in Africa was already over when Anthony arrived. The Allies were preparing for the invasion of Sicily. The port at Bizerte, Tunisia was the primary launch point for the invasion forces. Over 900 miles from Oman. As ships were in short supply, Anthony and the 141st drove across North Africa over the period of several weeks. The journey was considered vital training for the unit. After 6 weeks in Bizerte, the 141st sailed for Italy to join the fight. Landing at Bagnoli, Italy on 19November1943, the 141st fired their first shots of the war on November 30. The winter weather made fighting difficult, and the front lines did not move. The German’s and the Allies traded artillery fire for much of December.
From January through March 1944 Anthony and the 141st supported the fighting at Cassino and the Anzio beachead. Often firing at German targets several miles away.
April was largely a period of preparation for the planned spring offensive. On 11May1944 the Army launched Operation Diadem, breaking the German Gustav Line. By May 29th the 141st was firing in the pursuit of the Germans on the way towards Rome. It was on that day that Anthony was killed in action when Germany artillery fire struck his position.
Amthony was originally buried at a temporary military cemetery in Nettuno, Italy.
In 1948 his remains were returned to Minnesota for renburial.
Anthony is buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Postscript
In Spring 2007, Edison High School art teacher Mark Rizzardi discovered 2 watercolor paintings that Anthony has painted in 1933. The discovery and subsequent search for Anthony’s family was covered in 3 articles in the Northeast community newspaper.
In 1947, Minnesota Gopher gymnasts established the Frank Warpeha Memorial Award to be given to the top high school gymnast in Minnesota.
