This certificate was begun when Gaetano's 'military class' of 1889 became twenty years old, and  finalized at his discharge (congedo illimitato, or ‘unlimited leave‘) from the Italian infantry.　 Click on the images to enlarge them.  The front states that he served in the Italian 93rd Infantry Regiment and that "during his time under arms, he has had good conduct, and has served with loyalty and honor".　 Gaetano's signature can be seen near the bottom.　
          The back has vital statistics including his parents' names, Gaetano Coniglio and Carmela [ full name Maria Carmela ] Calabrese; that he was a "Solfataio" or sulfur miner; that he was enrolled for the draft April 24, 1909, conscripted on November 19, 1909, and inducted November 9, 1911, on orders issued November 2, 1911.　　 He was discharged on August 15, 1912, indicating that he was only shortly out of the Army when he married Rosa Alessi in St. Leonard Abate Church on November 30, 1912.　
　　 Gaetano is described as 1.61 meters (5' 3-¹/₂") tall, with chestnut hair (capelli), eyebrows (sopracciglia) and eyes (occhi).  Even though he was naturally dark-skinned, his years of working in the sulfur mines from dawn to dusk  resulted in his complexion (colorito) being given as pale (pallido).  He had sound teeth (dentatura) and a Grecian nose (naso).　 His forehead (fronte), mouth (bocca), chin (mento) and face (viso) were "just right" (giusto).　 It states that he was able to read and write.
        Three years after Gaetano's discharge, the 93rd fought in the Austro-Hungarian War, a precursor to World War I.
 

           Gaetano died on 4 July 1944 and lay in state at our home at 973 West Avenue in Buffalo until the funeral mass at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Church on Friday, 6 July.  The funeral mass was attended by family members and friends, many of them paisani from Sicily and specifically from Serradifalco; Robertsdale, Pennsylvania; and the East and the West Side of Buffalo.  Those who were in the procession from the church to Mount Calvary Cemetery in Cheektowaga are listed below.  Click on the images to enlarge them.