This doll belonged to Josephine Lamanna Rebyanski. The signatures are from young men departing for WWII. The doll has their names, date of enlistment, and the military
bases to which they were deployed. The doll was donated to the AAHS by Michele Rebyanski Nestor, Josephine’s daughter.
Four of the men listed on the doll were Josephine’s brothers (Lamanna). One of the men became her husband (Mike Rebyanski). The other two (California and Tamski) were neighbors. Of the Lamannas, Carmen and Joe served in Italy where Joe received the purple heart. Carmen also served in Africa. Mike Lamanna served in the Pacific and Frank in the Philippines. Mike Rebyanski was in the European theater. He was a medic and part of the 95th Gas Treatment Battalion and saw action in the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest. The battle, commonly known as “the meatgrinder” lasted from early Sept. through December. We have no information on Anthony California. Tom Tamski also fought in the Korean War. Except for Frank Lamanna who resumed his baseball career with the Boston Braves and a Yankee farm team, the rest returned to live long lives in the Apollo area as coal miners and steel workers.
Names As Listed On The Doll
Pvt. Frank Lamanna 2/26/43 Ft Meade, MD
Pvt. Thomas Tamski 10/10/46 Ft. Meade, MD
Pvt. Mike Rebyanski 5/1/43 Ft. Meade, MD Carmen Lamanna 12,17, 42 Sgt. Anthony Lamanna, California 11/17/1942 Texas Cpl. Joe Lamanna 1/18/43 Ft. Bragg, NC Mike Lamanna, USS Minneapolis, San Fransicso, CA
Apollo Area Historical Society 