Domineck Monell volunteered for service in WWII and entered the Air Force. His military service included a visit to Fort Myers where he fell in love with Florida. He served as a mechanic working on P-51’s. When the war ended he went home to Fairmont, VA got his wife and they settled in Jacksonville, FL where Domineck worked at the Naval Air Station for 30 years as a mechanic and shop manager.
Domineck Monell is one of the eight Monell brothers from Fairmont, VA ready to serve their country in WWII. Six of the Monell brothers were drafted and two received their notice. One brother, Tony, the first to ship out in the Invasion of 1944 was killed in battle. Frank Monell, rescued 56 men at the Battle of the Bulge, was shot three times, and survived POW camp. He lives now in a VA nursing home.
Orlando resident and WWII Veteran Michael Monell says, “My family was very proud of what we did.”
LISTEN to this excerpt on Domineck Monell from his brother Michael Monell’s oral history interview at Saint James Cathedral in downtown Orlando, November 9, 2011.
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Eight Monell Brothers for WWII Service
WWII Veteran Domineck Monell
WWII Veteran Felix MonellDomineck Monell volunteered for service in WWII and entered the Air Force. He served as a mechanic working on P-51's. His military service included a visit to Fort Myers where he fell in love with Florida. He went home to Fairmont, VA got his wife and they settled in Jacksonville, FL where Domineck worked at the Naval Air Station for 30 years as a mechanic and shop manager.
Domineck Monell is one of the eight Monell brothers from Fairmont, VA ready to serve their country in WWII. Six of the Monell brothers were drafted and two received their notice. One brother, Tony, the first to ship out in the Invasion of 1944 was killed in battle. Frank Monell, rescued 56 men at the Battle of the Bulge, was shot three times, and survived POW camp. He lives now in a VA nursing home.
Orlando resident and WWII Veteran Michael Monell says, "My family was very proud of what we did."
Hear this excerpt from Michael Monell's oral history interview at Saint James Cathedral in downtown Orlando, November 9, 2011.
WWII Veteran Felix Monell
Known as the Bazooka Man by his platoon, Felix Monell spent days behind enemy lines stringing up wire for U.S. troop communications in Italy during WWII. He was awarded the silver star with the oak leaf cluster for his service to our country in the 361st Infantry Regiment, 91st Division.
Orlando resident and WWII veteran Michael Monell describes how his brother became an interpreter during WWII and later moved to Kissimmee, FL where he became an award winning bowler. Learn more about the extraodinary military service of the Monell brothers in this 9 minute 31 second excerpt from an oral history interview on February 10, 2012 at Saint James Cathedral in downtown Orlando.
Michael Monell states, "Our parents were very proud of their sons that we were ready to lay down our lives in harm's way for the sake of freedom."