An Immigrant's Perspective

A man born in 1929 in Italy

Why did you choose to leave Italy?

After 10 years of the waiting for the war to end, my brother and I wanted to be here with our mother. I was eight when she left. It was before the war began.

How long did it take to get here?

About 15 days in the water.

How did you get here?

We were supposed to come on a luxury cruise ship, but it was in NY being repaired or painted or something. They said if you want to really go to America we have another ship to go on. Being young all we wanted to do was come, so we agreed to go on that. They gave us a little ship that they used to carry the Italian troops. We had to sleep in bunk beds. It was called the Marine Shark. Arrived here on July 25, 1947.

Did you have a job immediately when you got here?

No, not immediately, we had to look for a job, we had a connection with someone in Asbury Park, NJ and got a job there, and we would take a bus in the morning to get to work. We came home with ten dollars a week. We later found another job in the newspaper in long branch. It paid 26 cents an hour. I worked a lot of overtime for four years, got married and bought a car in between. 1950 chevy, People would ask me how did you get a car you are only in this country for three years. I asked those people what they did with their money, and they said things like bet on horses. I tried to save my money. Working, making coats on a button machine. I learned how to work the machines. People would think they were better than me, because they were born here. Another guy that started working there was a cowboy, people would call him by a nickname, he used to come by me all the time, and I called him by the nickname everyone else called him and he said if you call me what one more time I will punch you right in the nose. He punched me in the nose, and I hit him in the head, the whole shop stopped working. I went to the bathroom to wash my face with my friend with me, and the cowboy tried to start something with me again and my friend grabbed him by the neck and asked what are you going to do my friend, and he never bothered me again. That was the end of my time at that job. I worked as a plumber after the four years there, I was looking for a better job.

What did you have to do to get into the country?

We had to be sponsored by someone. I had to prove I had a place to live and a job. I came in through Ellis Island. We had to be well, in good shape, we had to see a council in Naples, and had to visit a doctor in Naples to make sure we were well, and no sick people were allowed.

How long did it take you to get your citizenship?

First two years I had what they called my first papers. I went on my honeymoon in Canada in the middle of that. And the guys told me they would let me out, but not let me back in because they thought I was leaving for the draft. Then I needed to get my papers right there. In Montreal, two weeks there then came back.

How does your life here compare to life in Italy?

First, I didn't know the language which was a struggle. Of course, I wanted to come here. I missed my friends. All kinds of names people would call me, I got used to it. Got in a few fights, but it's okay. I had more opportunities in America, I would never have been able to become a business owner in Italy at that time.

Would you want to go back to live in Italy?

If I could have made the same amount of money there I would have back then. I wouldn't want to now.

What were some things that were hard to get used to?

I was not too happy because I left my friends in Italy, and we don't have nobody here we don't know the language. And we had to learn the language to get citizen papers. I learned the language in the factory, because they spoke to you half and half in the factory.

What do you like most about America?

I like everything. I like most what I do like, I like my job, 50 years doing plumbing, 1976 I owned the company.