<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p><em>Robert Nicholas “Bobby” Arnone</em> was born on November 25, 1943 as the youngest of three boys to Philip Arnone and Adele Gianotti Arnone in East Boston, MA. His father died at 36 when Bobby was four months old. His working mother and the boys moved in with his father’s family. His mother’s mother also lived with them. The grandparents were from Italy and Spain. He grew up in a multicultural environment with three languages spoken at home.</p>
<p>Bobby was a very intelligent young man who loved learning. He also loved sports, particularly handball and hockey. He had many friends and a family who treasured him. By the time Bobby entered high school he was fluent in three languages, so he studied Latin, German and Russian. He mastered these quickly and self-studied to learn French and Greek. An above average student, Bobby “aced” all his mathematics classes. While attending school, he worked at a delicatessen to contribute to the family’s income. He also met his future wife, Joyce Monahan. Bobby received a scholarship to Boston College, where he played hockey and dated Joyce, who was attending Tufts College. He did well academically and developed a growing interest in attending West Point. Upon visiting the office of Representative Tip O’Neill, he learned that the congressman had already selected an appointee for 1962. He was put on a waiting list as an alternate. Bobby returned to the office frequently, trying to do more to gain admission. He became a favorite of the congressman’s secretary, who along with the office staff was so impressed by Bobby that they all lobbied for his placement. Eventually, he and the other candidate took qualifying exams. Bobby performed so well on the exam he earned the appointment over the other candidate. Each time he was on leave from West Point, he returned to the Boston office to visit those who helped him gain admission. </p>
<p>During plebe year Bobby played 150-pound football and hockey, but his first love was handball. Classmate Rick St. John recalled that Bobby helped out Plebe Christmas preparing for the hockey game for southerners who had never seen snow, much less skated. Bobby was slick and fast on the ice but little help to those who could not stand up on skates. </p>
<p>Bobby was thoroughly Italian and had a wonderful East Boston accent. After the rigors of plebe year, he formed fast friendships with others in Second Regiment whose names ended in a vowel: Amatulli, Casillo, Champi, Cosentino, Fantelli, Mazzarella, Rizzo, Zurla et al. He was a great athlete and formed an almost unbeatable handball pair with best friend Tony Mazzarella. They took on and beat all competitors, including officers stationed there.</p>
<p>Bobby moved to D-2 cow year, which became A-2 upon the Corps reorganization into four regiments. He was smart but didn’t study excessively. He preferred spending time in the gymnasium or movie theater. During evenings Bobby would skip studying to curl up under his “brown boy” listening to the Bruins hockey game on his transistor radio. He most enjoyed the weekends when Joyce visited from Boston.</p>
<p>Firstie year, Tom Carhart recalls Bobby playing a starring role in the 100th Night Show “Gold Thumb.” In what was referred to as “The Italian Scene,” Bobby stood center stage and began philosophizing about getting into West Point because of the strength he got from his mother’s wonderful pasta. He was gradually joined on the stage by classmates wearing some version of what would be considered an opera costume, and together they sang “La donna è mobile” from Verdi’s La Traviata, which soon dissolved because few knew the words...and the scene collapsed in laughter, with plebes throwing rotten fruit. Bobby Arnone was the star of the show! </p>
<p>After graduation, Bobby married Joyce Monahan in a military ceremony at St. John the Evangelist Church in Winthrop, MA. After summer leave, they traveled to Fort Benning, GA for Airborne and Ranger School, where Bobby was reunited with best friend Tony Mazzarella as Ranger buddies. Tony recalls a particularly cold night during Ranger School when the cadre allowed the use of sterno to keep warm. “We huddled together under one poncho and put the sterno can underneath the poncho. We quickly feel asleep. I woke up with the poncho on fire. I called to Bobby that we were on fire.” He responded, “Quit moving around and get back to sleep!” </p>
<p>Bobby and Joyce then went to their first duty assignment, with the 2-125th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, NC. Emmitt Gibson, who served with Bobby as platoon leaders in Company B, remembers Bobby as one always focused on the mission and caring for his soldiers. Bobby’s last gathering with classmates was a Christmas party at the bachelor pad of Peyton Ligon, Bill Hughes, T.K. Kinane, and Mack Hayes. Right after the holidays, their daughter, Christine Lisa, was born. With Easter nearing, Bobby took leave to take Joyce and Christine home to see family and friends. On the way home, in Hartford, CT, they were involved in an automobile accident. Bobby was killed. Joyce and Christine were hospitalized with serious injuries. After three weeks hospitalization, they returned to Massachusetts. Bobby was buried in Winthrop Cemetery, MA. </p>
<p>The accident was tremendously tragic, that such a kind, caring young man, capable of so much, died so young. Those touched by Bobby’s love and friendship were fortunate to have been part of his life. Joyce eventually met and married Thomas Moore, and they moved to his native Vermont with Christine, where they still reside. </p>
<p>We will always remember you, Bobby. Well done! Rest in peace. </p>
<p><em>— Joyce Arnone Moore and Don Scoggin</em> </p>
</body>
</html>