The Stories of Village Heroes

by Cindy Goldstein -

The Mamaroneck Observer will publish profiles of some of the honorees represented on the street banners - an effort led by local residents Amy Siskind and Pat Allen who worked with the Village of Mamaroneck in partnership to install banners along Mamaroneck and Halstead Avenues and Boston Post Road. 

Robert Byrnes (Donohue), Technician Fourth Grade – US Army

Robert attained U.S. Army rank of Technician Fourth Grade.  This rank recognized enlisted personnel with special skills such as radio operators, medics and mechanics.  Robert was born January 22, 1923 and later adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Donohue when his mother died, and his father could not care for him.  The Donohues had eight children of their own, six of whom were in the military.  Byrnes entered the service in 1942.  He received infantry training at Camp Gordon, Johnson, FL, Camp Livingston, LA and Camp Pickett, VA.  He went overseas and died at the age of 21 on July 31, 1944 from wounds received during action in France. 

Donohue was survived by Mary and Patrick Donohue, who raised him, his wife, the former Ann Mariano, his sister, Mrs. Louis Bordiga, of Mamaroneck, and seven brothers:   MM First Class Edward F. Donohue; Chief MM Arthur X. Donohue and MM Second Class Joseph P. Donohue, both with the Seabees in the South Pacific; Seaman First Class Eugene T. Donohue on active duty with the Navy; Private First Class John J. Donohue with a medical detachment at Fort Benning, GA.; Seaman First Class Richard A. Donohue on submarine duty in the South Pacific; and Thomas Donohue of Mamaroneck.  The family lived at 226 Mamaroneck Avenue.

Frank M. Romano, Radioman Second Class US Navy Reserve

Frank Romano graduated from Mamaroneck High School in 1942 and lived at 417 Center Avenue.  His official date of death is November 11, 1944 when he was around 20 years old.  He was on a flight home to be at the bedside of his dying mother when his plane crashed.  His father had pleaded with the Navy to allow Frank to come home.  We can only imagine how his father felt when his son was killed.

Frank Romano is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Wilbur “Butch” J. Tompkins, Seaman First Class – US Navy

Butch Tompkins graduated from Mamaroneck High school in 1916 and lived at 525 Stanley Avenue.  He enlisted in the Naval Reserve in September 1937.  He was called to active duty on August 5, 1940.  Tompkins was then assigned to the U.S.S. Juneau in the Pacific.  In November, 1942, at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, the Juneau was torpedoed by Japanese submarines.  Tompkins’ parents received word that he was missing in action, then were notified that he was killed in action. 

Of the 693 crew members only 10 survived after spending days in the water.  The U.S.S. Juneau was the ship that had the five Sullivan brothers on it - all were killed in the greatest combat loss for an American family in World War II.  The “Sole Survivor Policy” was implemented after this enormous loss to spare future families from such a horror.