Silvino Rua DaSilva

Decorated

World War II Veteran

Silvino “Sal” Rua DaSilva (Silva), 92, of Bridgeport, died after a long illness April 6 in St Vincent Medical Center, Bridgeport, with his loving family by his side. Born in New Bedford, Mass., on November 6, 1915, he was the son of Albino and Maria (Fernandes) DaSilva.

 Survivors include his beloved wife of 61 years, Sezaltina “Tina” Pinheiro DaSilva; his loving daughters, Roseann Hanson and husband, Gary, of Newtown and Maria Cieplik and husband, Thomas, of Indian Orchard, Mass.; his cherished and loving grandchildren, John Cieplik and wife, Lynn, and Lynne Peluso and husband, Joseph, all of Ludlow, Mass., Tina Cronin and husband, Mark, of Trumbull, Amy Hanson of Boca Raton, Fla., Stephen Cieplik of Orlando, Fla., and Erica Belden and husband, Keith, of Newtown; his loving great-grandchildren, Maria Cieplik, Joseph and Thomas Peluso, Mark and Emily Cronin; and several nieces and nephews.

As a child, he was raised in Arcos, Portugal, then moved to and was a Bridgeport resident most of his life. Mr DaSilva was a World War II veteran who served from December 15, 1942 through November 18, 1945 as a member of the light machine gun squad and fired a .30 caliber machine gun to destroy enemy personnel, vehicles, installations, and lines of communication. He laid down machine gun fire to protect ground advances and also fired other small arms and used hand weapons. He served for 24 months in the European War Theater with the 179th Infantry Regiment of the 45th Division. Battles and campaigns in which Mr DaSilva took part include North Africa, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Southern Frances, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He received the Good Conduct Medal, two Purple Hearts, European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon, Theater Campaign Ribbon, and the Victory Medal.

 He was loved very much by his family and he loved all of his family deeply and was always expressing how very much he loved them all. His wife cared for him to the very end and was always told by him that she was his angel. The family would like to say thank you to our Dad, PaPa, and all the World War II veterans for the sacrifices they made for us and for providing us with all the freedoms that we enjoy today as Americans. They also would like to express their gratitude to Dr Tristine, Dr Bharucha, and the entire nursing staff of 7 South at St Vincent Medical Center for their compassionate care that was given their Dad.

Funeral services were held April 9 in the Parente-Lauro Funeral Home, Bridgeport, and in Our Lady of Fatima Church, Bridgeport. Interment was in St Michael Cemetery, Stratford.

The Newtown Bee        April 11, 2008