MICHAEL DEL VECCHIO

Post 1503 Interview Project
Getting to know: Michael Del Vecchio

VFW Connections

Mike has been a long-time member of the VFW and the Military Order of the Cooties. He joined in the 1970s while living in Utica, NY. He served as the New York County Council Commander from 1977-1978 and was an All State County Commander that year. He was also elected as the New York Pup Tent 18 Seam Squirrel.

 

Mike and Joyce both joined Post 1503 when they moved to Virginia about 15 years ago. They have remained involved with the VFW and MOC/MOCA organizations since then. Mike was the Seam Squirrel for our post’s MOC from 2014-2015. He enjoys their previous volunteer visits to the hospitals, especially to share food. Mike and Joyce also assisted with Bingo for many years, with Mike working in the back and Joyce manning the table. Mike served as the 10th District Commander from 2019-2020 and was an All State and All American Team District Commander during his tenure.

 

 
Mike’s History

Mike was born in Catskill, NY—a rather tiny town. His mother worked at home as a seamstress, making women’s clothing for a local company. His father worked on the railroad trains when Mike was still young, but was later hired by delivery company Aerobuilt to build their trucks. Mike’s father would drive the frames over 100 miles from Tarrytown to Athens and also transported some of their larger delivery trucks. Many of Mike’s extended family members lived in the surrounding towns.

 

Mike remembers being able to walk to school during his childhood and teen years. Of his school subjects, Mike best enjoyed his chemistry classes. During the summers, he joined his father at the delivery facilities and worked as a sheerer, cutting the aluminum frames for the sides of the trucks.

 

From a young age, Mike enjoyed camping trips. During the summer before his senior year, he took a camping trip to Caroga Lake. It was there he met Joyce and they started dating. The two of them later attended some local fairgrounds and Mike asked the Ferris Wheel operator to stop the ride at the top. There, he proposed to Joyce, who was very surprised by the romantic gesture.

 

 
Military History 

In his junior year of high school, Mike joined the New York National Guard. Although he couldn’t be sent away for official training while he was still in school, he learned some of the basics of the organization at the local armory. After his graduation, he was sent to Fort Dix in New Jersey for one year for basic and advanced training with the Army. From there, Mike enlisted with the Navy at age 19. Thanks to his prior Army training through the National Guard, his time at basic training was abbreviated. Afterward, he went to the Great Lakes Naval Base for one year of Electronics Training.

 

Right before his graduation from ET school, Mike took a trip back to New York. In just three days, he traveled to the Catskills for a marriage license and then made his way to Utica. There, he married Joyce at St. Joseph’s Church. After their ceremony, he returned for the remainder of his electronics training and his graduation. With ET school completed, Mike was sent to California for additional security training.

 

With his military schooling completed, Mike was assigned to the USS Kearsarge CVS 33 in Long Beach. His responsibilities included ensuring that all electronics—like the radios and radar—were in good working order. He stayed with the USS Kearsarge for three years, including for two deployments to Vietnam in 1964 and 1966. In between these deployments, Mike journeyed back to see Joyce, who welcomed him at the pier with their first son in her arms.

 

With only three months left of his enlistment time during his second deployment, Mike was transferred to the S1/S2 shop, where he was responsible for post office duties. He would fly on a carrier onboard delivery (COD) plane to Saigon to pick up the mail for the ship to ensure it made its way to the sailors.

 

With his enlistment completed, Mike returned to California and drove to New York in only three days without stopping. Although his car broke down shortly before he made it home, his dad was close enough to tow him back for the rest of the way. After returning to New York, Mike spent some time working for GE.

 

In Syracuse, he continued to spend time serving between the National Guard and the Navy Reserve, switching between the groups depending on where he was most needed. Between the New York National Guard, four years in the Navy, and the Navy Reserve, Mike dedicated 23 years of his life to military service.

 

 
Post-enlistment life

In 1974, Mike earned his Associate in Applied Technology Science of Electrical Technology from Mohawk Valley Community College. He later went on to complete his Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York College at Cortland in 1988.

 

Although Mike couldn’t be there for the birth of his first son, as he was deployed to Vietnam at the time, they later welcomed another son and a daughter into their family. Today, they also get to enjoy time with their many beautiful grandchildren.

 

After being married for over 58 years, Mike and Joyce still treasure each other as partners. They still love taking camping trips together, especially to the beautiful Indian Acres campground. They have used several campers during their years of adventures and now take trips with a long trailer camper. They also share their home with their sweet five-year-old chihuahua, Titan.

 

Did You Know?
  • As Mike’s mother was a talented seamstress, she made his Halloween costumes when he was growing up. One of his most memorable costumes was a full Wonder Woman outfit, which won a silver dollar prize at the town’s downtown parade.
  • During his 100+ mile trips, Mike’s father transported the frames of what would later become covered delivery trucks. These frames consisted of only a seat, a wooden cart, and a windshield. His father often received surprised looks from other motorists, no doubt wondering why he was operating such a strange-looking contraption!
  • Mike and Joyce still fondly recall his marriage proposal atop the Ferris Wheel when they were teens. Joyce was caught somewhat off guard when stopped unexpected at the top of the wheel, but said "yes” after she regained her composure.
  • While Mike enjoyed repairing the electronics aboard the USS Kearsarge, climbing up to the ship’s antenna when it needed mending was a very dangerous and harrowing experience.
  • The film star John Wayne filmed the 1965 movie In Harm’s Way aboard Mike’s ship while he was serving. At 6’4”, Wayne had to duck through the tiny doors and portals so he wouldn’t hit his head.