Photo By Maj. Linda Gerron | U.S. Army Reserve Brig. Gen. Stephen P. Case (right), commanding general of the 95th...... read more read more
A chance meeting between Staff Sgt. Dominick Critelli and Brig. Gen. Stephen P. Case bridged eight decades of military history.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.– As the nation turns from recent D-Day commemorations toward the 250th anniversary of American independence, the 95th Training Division- Initial Entry Training found a living connection to its World War II legacy in Staff Sgt. Dominick Critelli, who arrived at a Nashville summit wearing a unit pin and carrying memories of his time in service.
During the 2026 Army Aviation Warfighting Summit, held April 15 to 17, Critelli crossed paths with Brig. Gen. Stephen P. Case, the division’s commanding general. The meeting represented a direct link to the past for the division through Critelli, who served in the U.S. Army from Oct. 28, 1942, to Nov. 21, 1945.
Their connection began when Case’s son, Stephen, noticed a pin on Critelli’s hat. The soon-to-be West Point cadet recognized the emblem as the same division insignia his father commands. After a brief conversation with Critelli, Stephen introduced the veteran to the general.
When the two spoke, Critelli studied the modern Operational Camouflage Pattern uniform. While this current attire reflected a completely different Army than the olive drab he wore during World War II, the veteran’s trained eye went straight to the details. He noticed the absence of noncommissioned officer chevrons on the commander’s sleeves and asked, with the directness of an old soldier evaluating another man's rank, “Why aren’t you wearing any stripes?”
Case took the question in stride, explained the difference in rank insignia, and turned the moment into a gesture of recognition.
When Critelli realized he was speaking with the division’s current commander, he began to stand. Case gently stopped him, stating he preferred to stand in honor of the veteran. He then removed the 95th patch from his left sleeve and placed it on Critelli’s right sleeve, a gesture that cemented his combat service and connection to the division. The act created a lasting memory for everyone present.
“It was a profound honor to meet and speak with one of the living legends of our division,” Case said. “Staff Sgt. Critelli embodies the spirit and legacy of the Iron Men of Metz, and his presence reminds us of the responsibility we carry to uphold their standard.”
Establishing the Iron Men Standard
The standard began in the late autumn of 1944. Serving as an aircraft mechanic with the 377th Artillery Aviation Unit, Critelli was responsible for keeping the squadron's Piper Cubs flying safely. These fragile, two-passenger observation planes conducted intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, mapping enemy positions and supply lines.
By November, the division faced a brutal test at the Uckange bridgehead, where American troops became isolated on the enemy side of the river. Over a fierce, four-day period, crews flew 120 hazardous resupply missions behind enemy lines.
When icy wings and frozen carburetors grounded other aircraft, Critelli volunteered as a crew member on 14 of those missions. Sitting on an SCR-610 radio just eight meters above the ground, he dropped blood plasma, blankets, and cigarettes to foxholes where soldiers stood in knee-deep water. Despite several dozen bullet holes piercing the fabric wings of his plane, he completed the drops and received the Air Medal for his heroism. In an interview preserved by the USA Warrior Stories project, Critelli recalled the scale of deployment.
"We went to England on a boat, a full division with everything, all equipment, ready to fight," Critelli said. "When I was [there] last, it was a terrible sight. That’s all I know. Everybody was having a terrible time. Airplanes, tanks, and artillery ... infantry. But we all had a job to do, and we were doing it the best we could."
The division's trials intensified a month later when Adolf Hitler launched a massive winter counteroffensive known as the Battle of the Bulge. While Gen. George S. Patton pivoted the bulk of the Third Army north to relieve 80,000 encircled American troops in Bastogne, Critelli’s unit remained on the southern front. Tasked with holding an extended line, the division protected the vital Saarlautern bridgehead against German counterattacks, securing the flank for the final Allied advance across the Rhine.
By the end of his service, Critelli had spent 151 days in combat. His actions earned him the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Campaign Stars, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.
Anchoring the Modern Mission
Based at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the 95th Training Division builds its mission on its combat heritage. The unit prepares experienced soldiers as instructors for initial entry training and develops mentors for new personnel, continuing the division’s tradition by preparing each soldier for today’s challenges.
“The readiness of our modern force depends on our ability to learn from those who served before us,” Case said. “Staff Sgt. Critelli stands as a reminder that our mission is to preserve a level of excellence that continues across generations.”
Maintaining this standard of excellence has earned Critelli international recognition, preserving his enduring connection to the past. His lifelong journey has also led him back to the battlefields of his youth. In 2024, he returned to Utah Beach for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. After eight decades, he was deeply affected by the peaceful shoreline, which stood in sharp contrast to the scene he had first encountered during the war.
During the anniversary ceremonies, French President Emmanuel Macron awarded Critelli France’s Légion d'honneur (National Order of the Legion of Honor) - the country’s highest and most prestigious decoration for both military and civilians. According to his family, Critelli continues to smile when recalling that Macron kissed him on both cheeks after presenting the medal.
While summit participants treated Critelli like a celebrity, his influence extends beyond the military. Having played the saxophone since age 13, he is a skilled musician who still performs and regularly visits classrooms to inspire students. In December 2025, he played the national anthem at a hockey game at UBS Arena in New York, receiving a standing ovation from 17,000 fans.
For the 95th Training Division, the meeting with Case carried a quieter significance. It became a living bridge between generations. As Case placed his own patch on Critelli’s sleeve, the past and present stood shoulder to shoulder—a vivid reminder that history’s lessons are carried by those who remember and those who serve, bringing the division’s motto to life: Victory Then! Victory Always!
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2026 23:56 |
| Story ID: | 568636 |
| Location: | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, World War II Legend Reunites 95th Training Division With Its History, by MAJ Linda Gerron, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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