Nuclear Museum Logo
Nuclear Museum Logo

National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

Vito Di Rienzo

MechanicWendover, UT

Tinian Island
Manhattan Project VeteranMilitary Veteran

Vito Di Rienzo worked in bomb assembly for the 1st Ordinance Squadron, 509th Composite Group. Di Rienzo was drafted into the military in 1943 at the age of 20. He completed basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, which lasted for one month. Afterwards. he travelled from state to state working as a mechanic. His stops included: Atlantic City; Halliburg, Maryland; Andrews Air Force Base; Washington DC; North Carolina; Albany NY; South Carolina; Mitchell Field NY; and finally Wendover Field and Tinian Island, as a part of the Manhattan Project.   

Vito Di Rienzo’s Timeline
1943 Completed basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey

1944 Transferred to Wendover Field with the 509th Composite Group

1946 Finished military service

Related Profiles

Helene M. Smith

Chicago, IL

Helene Smith was a laboratory technician in the Health Division at the Metallurgical Laboratory in Chicago during the Manhattan Project.

E. L. Pleninger

Hanford, WA

Roy V. Henderson

Chicago, IL

Roy V. Henderson was a janitor at the University of Chicago’s Metallurgical Laboratory (“Met Lab”) during the Manhattan Project.

John F. Curtin

Oak Ridge, TN

Curtin worked in the United States Engineer District Office.