http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanantonio/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=137511999
Frank Perritano
Col. Frank R. Perritano, USAF (Ret.), born on November 17, 1934, in White Plains, NY, left us to be with God on December 16, 2009.
Col. Perritano graduated from Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York; then earned a Civil Engineering degree at Manhattan College with an MBA from Central Michigan University. After working with American Bridge Corp. in Pittsburgh he entered the US Air Force. He spent most of his career as a navigator and Combat Tactics specialist.
After retiring he became an avid ballroom dancer and, through an organization he founded known by the acronym ASCOT (Affiliated Singles Clubs of Texas), he joined together all singles from 28 singles organizations in San Antonio for combined dancing and special “gatherings of singles”. He also began an internet website, called Dance San Antonio (dancesa.com) to help promote ballroom dancing.
Col. Perritano was preceded in death by his parents, Pietro and Giovanna Perritano; his sister, Theresa and his brother, Peter. He leaves behind five children, Debi Krebs, Mike, Jeff, Steven, and Dr. Diane Perritano-Ortega; 16 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; three step-grandchildren and two orphans he helped to support as well as his sister, Catherine Izzo; his brother, Ralph and his wife Marilee; and his other brother, Jon Paul. He also leaves behind his uncle, Ralph Cirillo and his wife Anita, with whom he grew up; and numerous other aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was awarded the Legion of Merit, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba), National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with four Service Stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Air Medal, Combat Readiness Medal with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster. The family will receive friends beginning at 6:00 p.m., Monday, December 21, 2009, at Porter Loring Mortuary North.
ROSARY MONDAY DECEMBER 21, 2009 7:00 P.M. PORTER LORING NORTH
CHAPEL MASS THURSDAY DECEMBER 22, 2009 10:00 A.M. ST. MATTHEW CATHOLIC CHURCH
Interment with Full Military Honors will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, consider supporting an orphan or donating to the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, One Elmwood Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66103 (800-875-6564).
Published in Express-News on December 20, 2009
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Perritano, Frank R. [MC???? RIP]
Guestbook: http://tinyurl.com/ye63b78
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http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/79766822.html
Web Posted: 12/20/2009 4:42 CST
Perritano served 26 years in Air Force
By Michele Gualano – Express-News
*** begin quote ***
While serving 26 years in the Air Force, Col. Frank R. Perritano earned many honors including the Vietnam Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and National Defense Service Medal. After retiring from honorably serving his country, Perritano shocked his family when he developed a passion for something far removed from military life — ballroom dancing.
“He never danced,” daughter Debi Krebs said. “At my wedding he was just proficient enough to handle the fox trot.”
But during his newfound leisure time, Perritano began taking ballroom dance lessons and found he had a knack for it. From then on, it became not just a hobby but a means to network with countless fellow ballroom enthusiasts.
Perritano died Wednesday. He was 75.
Before his military endeavors, Perritano developed an interest in engineering. After high school, he earned a civil engineering degree from Manhattan College and soon began working for American Bridge Company in Pittsburgh. After spending two years as an engineer, he decided to pursue a new career in the Air Force.
As a navigator of C-141, C-5 and C-130 aircraft, Perritano was involved in numerous crash-site rescues and combat airlift operations. He flew 75 missions in Vietnam, before heading off to combat missions over Cambodia flying as an AC-130 crewmember.
Later, he became chief of combat tactics and techniques and oversaw 21 Air force combat control teams and airlift control elements.
Perritano ended his 26-year stint at Randolph Air Force Base, where he was doing administrative duties and missing the exciting days of flying combat missions.
“That was his first non-flying assignment and he just wasn’t as happy not being where the action was,” Krebs said.
Perritano’s love for ballroom dancing developed unexpectedly. One day he just decided to try it. He took a few lessons and was hooked. During his 15-year run, he started a dance Web site (dancesa.com) and an organization that catered to Texas singles called Affiliated Singles Clubs of Texas.
His development of ASCOT brought together members from 28 singles clubs, a combination of dance organizations and non-dance, into one entity. And the dance Web site was something Perritano worked on daily to provide photos and news about upcoming competitions or classes.
“He was a good dad who always provided for his family, and even though his job took him away from us more than we’d like, we got to see more of the world and country than most,” Krebs said.
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Dear John,
I believe that Frank is member of the Class of 1956.
May He Rest In Peace.
Mike
[JR: Thanks, Mike. Much appreciated.]
Perritano, Frank R. [MC1956 RIP]
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