Meet William Girimonti
By Mike Mangiaruca
![[IMAGE]](http:/redline.gif)
Bill grew up in New York City (Born in Brooklyn, raised in the Bronx and later moved to Brentwood, Long Island at the age of 17). He has just finished a nine-year career in the U.S. Air Force as an Avionics Technician (AVIation electrONICS). He has worked on nearly all of the Air Force’s aircraft including: the MH-53J "Pavelow III", C-5 "Galaxy", C-141"Starlifter", C-17 "Globemaster", KC-135
During his formative years, Bill attended the Bronx High School of Science. After he joined the military, he attended the Community College of the Air Force where he achieved a degree in Avionics and is currently working toward a degree in Software Engineering through Georgia Institute of Technology.
He has three brothers and one sister, of which he is the eldest. His travels have been extensive. There are very few places where he has not been. The military has kept him on the road almost constantly. He has been to some pretty exotic places like Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Diego Garcia, Korea (North and South), and Japan. He has also been to many not-so-exotic places like: Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Bosnia, Liberia, Kenya and Zaire. He says that his favorite place would have to be Japan. Where he lived
for two years and "I was never happier—It was total bliss", says Bill.
When asked about his interest in genealogy, he replied, "My parents were divorced when I was two years old and managed to lose contact with each other. As a result, I never knew my father while growing up, so after I joined the military, I decided that I would try and find him. I did some research and found him shortly after. Once we met and he started explaining the family, I was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of family members, so I set out to catalog everyone so I could get an understanding of who these people were and how they were related to me. Since 1990, I have continued to do so and have now learned more about the GIRIMONTI family (and all variations thereof) than any one else
in the world. Am I satisfied? No way! I do not know a single genealogist who ever is."
Bill has been researching his family history, in general and Calabria specifically, since 1990 and is primarily pursuing the surnames: GIRIMONTE, GIRIMONTI, and IERIMONTE from the towns: Caccuri (KR), Castelsilano (KR), San Giovanni in Fiore (CS), Rogliano (CS), Scandale (KR), Verzino (KR), Casabona (KR) and Zinga (KR). All these towns are in Calabria. But it doesn't end there, he is also researching the surnames: GIRAMONTI, and (DI) GIRAMONTE from northern Italy (provinces of: Toscana and Veneto). For Bill, finding anything of relation to the GIRIMONTE family is touted as a great success. He feels the
most successful thing he has done must have been conspiring with Marco Scavo to found "Il Circolo Calabrese".
While it is not directly related to his own research, it has met with remarkable success in giving those with an interest in Calabria, a voice and aforum in which to discuss things of importance to Calabria. Not only does that include genealogy, but the history, culture, and language as well. The group has managed to help quite a few people achieve a better understanding and appreciation of Calabria in the process.
Bill feels the biggest challenge of genealogical research is having patience with the vital records offices (stato civile) of Italy when making vital record extract requests. Many times, they are so overloaded that it takes months before a reply is tendered. Many of which never get answered at all. The only way to forgo the wait is to visit the town directly, in person, to do the research. Bill is known quite well in San Giovanni in Fiore (CS). "They give me free reign with the records to peruse at my leisure, while they take care of
the normal day to day operations of the office. This alone has saved me a lot of time and aggravation", he explains.
When asked for advice, Bill replied, "Make every effort to learn some basic Italian. It will more than pay off when it comes time to read vital records to gain information on the people you seek. It will help you communicate with relatives that may still reside in Italy who may possess information that may be of importance. More importantly, it gives you a greater understanding of the culture and a greater respect for the Italian way of
life."
"My great grandfather, Francesco Girimonti arrived in New York from Zinga (a hamlet of Casabona (KR)) in April of 1903 on the ship named Archimede. He was 18 years old and came to the USA solely to retrieve his brother Guglielmo and bring him back to Italy, by request of his parents. In the process of pleading with his brother to return to Italy, he met a young woman named Maria Argenti and soon fell in love with her. He then re-thought his mission and decided to stay in l'America as well. A year went by and a third brother, Ernesto, came over in order to retrieve the two who preceded him only to succumb to the vast opportunities that were much more apparent in the United States than in Italy."
"I have visted Italy eleven times in the last nine years and made it a point to concentrate on research when I had the chance. Every tuesday I made the drive into Calabria from Brindisi (I was working at Pierozzi NATO Air Base). Each time, I visited one or two towns, depending on my agenda, and visited the Municipio of each of the towns I am researching. In almost every instance, the archivist explained that I still have some family left in the town. They usually set up a meeting within minutes of my arrival with that family. As with
the hospitality of most Calabresi, I was immediately invited over to their
homes for coffee which usually extended to dinner."
"During this time, I would interview them and learn as much as I could about their part of the family. The whole time this took place, I was typing into my laptop computer (which was a novelty to them). There are so many family members that I met this way—writers, poets, doctors, teachers and so many others. I always left with a wealth of information and a feeling of belonging. I have not felt that way about much of anything before."
Bill@Girimonti.com
![[IMAGE]](home.gif)
![[IMAGE]](rainbow2.gif)
E-Mail questions & comments to.Oriolo@usa.net
© George Lilli, Jan, 1999/2003
valium roche 5 mg buy valium fedex injecting valium snorting valium valium roche products buy valium no prescription half life valium rx sample valium valium package insert buy online valium how long valium safe valium dog valium pharmicies buy prescription valium without Generic picture valium xanax recreational valium valium on the net buy injection valium generic valium photo rectal valium dose valium online legal buy link online eu gg valium generic valium reputable valium dealers valium prescription buy without buy valium cod gestation and valium restoril or valium valium online prescription buy no online prescription valium find valium forum prince valium valium kill dog buy cheap line valium ever snort valium prescription valium buy without valium for sell as as good valerian valium fact valium prescription valium without valium identifying pills Ativan re valium vs vs xanax effects of snorting valium Bug grneric valium family of valium replacement for valium valium online discount buy buy link stiipcru valium valium valiumhtml effects valium roche valium valium root buy valium online without a prescription How long does valium stay in your system roche valium valium online questionnaire Buy dell valium email valium xanax prescription buy without valium valium ingredients buy generic valium expiration date valium valium for rls affects of valium drug valium pictures pictures of xanax valium valium for seizures 389 diazepam generic online valium drug valium prescription without buy valium valium on line Buy buy diazepam diazepam online valium effects of valium pill valium valium in cats Add buy link valium dose valium overdose of valium valium in dogs buy line valium free online prescription shipping valium prescription drug valium valium mexico online adult dosage of valium drug test valium overnightvirtcz referrers total valium valium dosage for dogs anxiety medications valium Fedex roche valium prescription valium valium now buy cod valium dosage ketamine valium induction order valium line valium cod us xanax difference valium clonazepam valium equivalent inurl valium vitasxerancom yybbscgi single psychoneurotic valium valium prescription without buy buy uk valium effects side valium pill reference valium valium detox . does in long stay system valium online pharmacy valium valium and palpitations Where to buy valium cheap valium isomers of valium rx valium pharmacy valium pictures buy online prescription valium without facts about valium pregnancy valium valium dosage for children 353 buy valium dog dosage valium onlie valium valium 2 days valium white tablets cheap roche valium get online valium prescription without valium buy valium fedex consultation buy diazepam valium dosage valium online drug valium valium amps valium withdraw symtoms cheap valium rx how much is an overdose of valium prilosec and valium valium identification 5mg valium dj valium mp3 mortgage valium valium and myths valium to buy cheap de eteamzactivecom link valium foreign pharmacies valium proper valium dosage valium cheap beg? sj?lvmord valium dj valium online purchase valium valium and safe dose valium vs xanax cheap generic valium generic legal purchase valium pink valium valium drug interactions 10mg valium difference between valium and xanax medicamento valium Suicide valium valium pill picture Canada valium drug testing valium online valium prescriptions valium and violence without valium buy prescription com link rx site valium valiumwebtimetoolscom get valium rx prescription without valium valium for flying addiction drug valium diazepam generic online valium lethal dose valium side effects of valium valium sale fed ex buy valium online without a prescription submit=buy valium online without a prescription dose of valium order valium online valium 052 valium xanax cky valium 1 how valium works purchase of valium valium cartoons 10mg valium picture diazepam valium lexapro vs valium sister valium valium paypal overnight buy valium drug interaction valium online order valium Target valium valium valium used cheapest valium online cod facts valium order valium valium buy without prescription without prescription valium buy color of valium Generic valium picture picture pill valium valium buy prescription without without buy valium prescription constipation diazepam valium flexeril and valium paypal valium canada valium discovery 401 line valium discount valium overseas kidstoned chewable valium sale valium valium online no prescription buy overseas valium discount valium lethal amounts of valium sensual valium enema valium sale fed ex overnight cheap exchange link valium first time valium enema online valium valium canada 361 buy valium de eltahocomua link valium index Purchase valium online valium in iraq buy myblogde online valium crushing valium mexico valium sale stop taking valium valium sleep cat valium Dosages valium nerve pill valium symptom valium withdrawal valium pill dosages Buy valium 1 dog valium liquid valium online taper valium valium stay in cod valium eltahocomua link net valium Online prescription valium valium and psoriasis valium with no perscription cheap valium overnight does like look valium mylan 477 pill valium recent research on valium valium onlinm buy prescription without valium drug valium submit=drug valium nonprescription valium xanax therapeutic effects of valium valium sellers in romania contradictions for taking valium diazepam generic purchase valium is valium legal purchase valium valium no prescription Buy online online pharmacy valium Description valium information on valium prescription drugs valium valium blue tablet buy valium in england dangers of valium how much valium overdose valium death