By John Montesano
The September Veteran of the Month is Rich Gaffino.
Rich Gaffino was born in Aurora July 9, 1930. He attended Abraham Lincoln Grade School in Aurora and West Aurora High School. He worked for Richards-Wilcox until he was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1951. He was trained to be a radio operator, which included learning International Morse Code. He was sent by ship to Korea in April 1952. Because his destination, Inchon, had a shallow harbor, he had to disembark over the side of the ship on life nets and on to a platform waiting below, a tricky maneuver with both the ship and platform rising and falling with the water.
Rich Gaffino was assigned to the 23rd Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division “Indianhead”, as the Regimental Radio Operator. His unit was sent to the island prisoner of war camp of Koje-do for guard duty. In July, they were ordered to the front and occupied positions along the Han River north of Chongjamal. During that month, divisional elements fought see-saw battles for control of the crest of “Old Baldy”, an important strong point on the Division left, which was secured July 31. From August through December 1952, the 2nd Division regularly was engaged in sharp patrol clashes. It expended much effort in strengthening its defensive positions and defending its outposts on Old Baldy, Pork Chop, and T-Bone Hills. In January 1953, they were engaged in aggressive patrolling and improving defensive positions until April 9 when they went back in reserve.
When armistice negotiations entered their final and decisive phase in May 1953, the enemy stepped up combat action. In July, the enemy sought to wrest more ground from the United Nations Command (UNC) by driving a wedge eight miles deep into the central sector. In mid-July 1953, the entire 2nd Division returned to the front, primarily in patrolling actions and countering enemy patrols. It fought off an enemy attack July 17-19 in hand-to-hand combat. The enemy contained, the 2nd division was ordered to counterattack, but with the armistice imminent, the attack was halted July 20. Finally, July 27, 1953, the Armistice was signed and all fighting stopped. When the Armistice became effective, all units began withdrawing to positions agreed to at the truce table. Coincidentally, Rich Gaffino was sent home on the day of the Armistice.
Returning to Aurora, he resumed working for Richards-Wilcox and June 26, 1954, married Dolores, who kept her promise to wait for him when they were engaged in 1951. They raised three children, have a grandchild, and one great-grandchild.
When he retired in 1988, he and Dolores moved to Arizona. However, they missed their children so they returned to North Aurora in 1991. Rich Gaffino went to work for Mooseheart and retired in 1996.
In 2000, he purchased a 1951 M38 Willys Korean War vintage Jeep. He frequently participated in parades for: Batavia Royalty Days; Elburn Days; North Aurora Days; and mostly Aurora Memorial Days and Independence Days. He proudly flies the American and the 2nd Infantry Division flags. When he sold his Jeep in 2018 his journal indicated his participation in 82 parades.
Dolores Gaffino passed in 2004 after 50 years of marriage. Rich lives alone in Montgomery, content with the memories of Dolores and the love of his family to sustain him.