With Memorial Day coming up, this week’s local history lesson from our friends at the Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area focuses on two Phoenixville men who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Francis J. Ianni (left) and Joseph Farino (right) were two friends from the north side of Phoenixville who were employed at the Phoenix Iron Company. When World War II broke out, both men enlisted in the Army, and were eventually deployed to the European theater. Sergeant Ianni was wounded in Belgium and passed away from his injuries in September 1944. Private First Class Farino was killed in action in Italy one week later. The two friends, both 22 years old at the time of their deaths, are buried next to each other at Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Phoenixville.
