Army Spc. Gennaro Pellegrini Jr.
Death: Aug 09, 2005
of Philadelphia; assigned to the 1st Battalion 111th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) Pennsylvania Army National Guard Philadelphia; killed Aug. 9 when a mine exploded and enemy forces attacked using small-arms fire as he was investigating a rocket-propelled grenade incident in Bayji Iraq. Also killed were Pfc. Nathaniel E. Detample Spc. John Kulick and Sgt. Francis J. Straub Jr. * * * * * Former Philadelphia cop killed by explosion in Iraq Associated Press “One Punch Gerry” was the nickname fellow Philadelphia police officers gave Gennaro Pellegrini Jr. after he famously knocked out a violent suspect with just one blow. “There’s a kid that never gave up” said Frank Talent of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission who watched Pellegrini an amateur welterweight win his first professional fight last year. “He had heart to the end.” Pellegrini31 of Philadelphia Died Aug. 9 in Bayji from a mine explosion and small-arms fire. He was the first Philadelphia police officer killed in the Iraq war. The son of a cop Pellegrini joined the department in 2001 and inherited his father’s badge number 3722. While in Iraq he convinced schoolchildren to collect 350 pairs of flip-flops for Iraqi children. He is survived by his parents Edith and Gennaro Pellegrini Sr. If only Pellegrini had been allowed to fight his enemies where he preferred to — in the ring said cousin Jerry Wahl. “My uncle said ‘It’s a shame he couldn’t have gone over there and fought one on one hand-to-hand combat” said Wahl. “Then he would have taken care of business and we wouldn’t be here right now.” Operation Iraqi Freedom