Michael John Tessaro was born Jan. 6, 1946 to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Tessaro and lived at 111 Hillcrest Dr., Collinsville, attended Collinsville High School and graduated CHS in 1964. He had many friends and relatives in Edwardsville and soon was employed at the Shell Oil Refinery in Hartford. He fell in love with Connie Schmidt of 417 Cass Ave., Edwardsville and they married May 1, 1965. The newlyweds moved into a house, 7 Logan Pl., Edwardsville and lived there until May 1968 when Mike joined the Army. Connie moved back to her parents’ house on Cass Ave.
On October 13, 1968, Specialist 4 Tessaro was assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry Division and was sent to Viet Nam. On Nov. 11, 1968, SPC4 Michael Tessaro was mortally wounded in action during the battle of An Diem, Viet Nam, as he evacuated two wounded soldiers to safety.
SPC4 Michael John Tessaro succumbed to his wounds in a Vietnamese hospital on Jan. 9, 1968. SPC4 Tessaro was posthumously awarded The Bronze Star with Valor, the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Qualification Sharpshooter and Expert Marksman Badges, National Defense Medal, Vietnamese Campaign Medal and Combat Infantryman Award. He is survived by his wife, Connie, his parents, a brother Larry and a sister Mrs. Rose Ann Bergbrader and is buried in Valley View Cemetery in Edwardsville. He was 23 years and 3 days of age.
