WCPO: UC grad and WWII vet celebrates 102nd birthday

WCPO celebrated the 102nd birthday of University of Cincinnati alumnus Art Fusaro as he looked back at his military service during World War II.

Fusaro was studying chemical engineering at UC when he was called up from the U.S. Army Reserves to serve in the Signal Corps. He was deployed to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, to learn more about the latest wireless communications. Then he went to Germany to teach other soldiers how to install this essential communications equipment that allowed military leaders to talk over secure lines.

“This was pretty secretive stuff,” Fusaro told WCPO. “We had the main line of communication between Gen. Omar Bradley and Gen. George Patton. It was an important line as it turned out.”

Later, Fusaro was sent to Hawaii to conduct training for communications systems there.

“We went to set up a school there. We were still at war with Japan,” he said.

Fusaro was in Honolulu on Aug. 14, 1945 — Victory over Japan Day — signifying Japan’s unconditional surrender and the formal end of World War II.

Fusaro captured a black-and-white photo of hundreds of American sailors and soldiers celebrating in the streets that day. After the war, Fusaro returned to UC, earning a degree in chemical engineering.

Watch the WCPO report.

Featured image at top: UC chemical engineering graduate Art Fusaro talks to WCPO's Craig McKee about his military experience in World War II. Photo/WCPO

UC created a Veteran Task Force in 2019 to increase the recruitment and retention of diverse and highly skilled veteran faculty, staff and students. To volunteer for the task force, contact Karla Phillips (Karla.Phillips@uc.edu) or Jill Cochran (Jill.Cochran@va.gov). UC's Veteran Task Force welcomes student, faculty and staff from all campuses to participate in the task force which aims to ensure veterans' interests are represented at UC.