Corporal R. F. "Rocky" Durso
Obituary – R F Durso October 4, 1915 – July 13, 2005

R F “Rocky” Durso, 89, of San Angelo, passed away July 13, 2005 in Baptist Memorials Center. A memorial service will be held at Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 at 12 o’clock. Mr Durso gifted his remains to the Texas Tech University Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Lubbock, TX.

Born on October 4, 1915 to Donato and Mary (Sibila) Durso in Somerville, New Jersey, Rocky was the youngest of 7 children. His parents, four sisters, and 2 brothers preceded him in death. He is survived by the following nieces and nephews: Dolores Zaninelli of Toms River, New Jersey; Charles Durso, Jr. of Miami, Florida; Mary Tarantin of New Hampshire; Richard Martino of Bound Brook, New Jersey; Robert Durso of Colts Neck, New Jersey; Regina Cameron of Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania; and Frederick C. Skvara of Bridgewater, New Jersey. There are a number of great nieces and nephews.

He grew up in Somerville, graduating from Somerville High School in 1932. Throughout his life, Rocky was interested in powered aviation…as a youth, often washing and cleaning bi-planes at Hadley Field to earn flying time with the aircraft owners. In his adult years, Rocky truly enjoyed learning about new aircraft designs and capabilities. Few things thrilled him more than watching the Commemorative Air Force and United States Air Force Thunderbirds airshows. The poem, High Flight, was one of his favorites. Rocky loved many types of music…from classical to barbershop. He was an acclaimed singer at the Far Hills Inn nightclub in New Jersey.
 

On January 25, 1943, Rocky enlisted in the United States Army, hoping to be assigned to the Army-Air Corps for training. He was initially assigned to Fort Dix awaiting a training assignment when he was accepted for Officer Candidate School. On graduation day at Camp Davis, Delaware, instead of promotion to Second Lieutenant, Rocky and several of his classmates were promoted to Corporal and assigned to anti-aircraft artillery training at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Upon completion of this training, he was assigned to Battery C, 449th Anti-Aircraft Artillery - Automatic Weapons Battalion and deployed to the European Theater of Operations on February 11, 1944. Over the next 18 months in the ETO, Corporal Durso served as a gun crew commander in Central Europe, Northern France, Rhineland and Normandy operations. He saw action in the D-day Omaha Beach assault landing in June 1944. He often mentioned that his Army service was the irony of fate…for him to have loved aviation so much and at the same time being assigned as an anti-aircraft gunner during the war. His most emotional war story centered on his crew shoot-down of a Focke-Wulf 190 fighter that was making a strafing run on an Army convoy in Northern France…the main fuselage of the aircraft coming to rest against a concrete statue just a few feet from his gun position.

At wars end, Corporal Durso was demobilized and separated from the Army at Ft Dix, New Jersey on November 29, 1945. He was decorated with The American Service Medal, The European Theater of Operations Medal w/4 battle stars, The World War II Victory Medal, and the Army Good Conduct Medal.

Rocky married his long-time sweetheart, B.M. “Byl” Weeks on January 26, 1961 in Immaculate Conception Church, Somerville, New Jersey. They had no children, but showered their beloved Scottish terrier, Dewey, with years of love and tender care. Byl preceded him in death on April 2, 2002.

After a series of jobs in electronics repair, two years study at Rutgers College, and factory work making automotive brake linings for The Johns Manville Company, Rocky landed a job with the Johnson & Johnson Company. He quickly moved through shift work and management training…and was promoted to supervisory responsibilities in mid-1960. He was recruited in 1969 to manage the San Angelo Ethicon Company transition to new equipment and procedures for manufacturing medical sutures and needle windings. Rocky & Byl moved to San Angelo in 1969 and became very active in Ethicon and community activities. Rocky took early retirement in 1978 and he and Byl did extensive travel in Europe and the U.S., all the while maintaining an active involvement in local, state and national community, veterans and political associations. He was a staunch and proud Republican…but most of all, an American Patriot in every sense of the word.

Rocky was active in many organizations: The Elks Lodge; The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and the Air Force Association… to name just a few. He was President of the local chapter of the Air Force Association for 5 consecutive terms…always adamant about providing leadership and support for both the College ROTC and High School Junior ROTC programs. He felt honored to be a VIP guest at Goodfellow AFB and looked forward to supporting all the services…especially donning his tuxedo and WW II medals to attend the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps Anniversary Balls and various command ceremonies. Standing for the National Anthem, the passing of the Colors, and the POW/MIA ceremonies brought him a rush of emotions…and always a tear or two to his eyes.

A devout Catholic, Rocky faithfully attended Sunday and Holy Day Masses. He found particular comfort in attending Mass and receiving Communion on the First Friday of each month. He genuinely cared for those less fortunate than himself…and gave generously to many charities.

As written in High Flight, Rocky has truly “slipped the surly bonds of earth, put out his hand, and touched the face of God.” May he rest in God’s Eternal Peace.

Memorials in his name may be sent to:

R.F. Durso ROTC Scholarship Endowment
Angelo State University Foundation
Box 11023, ASU Station
San Angelo, TX 76909
 
 
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