15 Facts About Henry Mucci

Henry Andrews Mucci was a colonel in the United States Army Rangers.

Henry Mucci enrolled at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, graduating 246th of 275 in his class in May 1936.

Henry Mucci survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7,1941.

Henry Mucci announced that the Battalion was being converted from Field Artillery to Rangers, downsized the battalion from 1,000 men to 500, and held a training camp in New Guinea where he utilized commando type training techniques for over a year.

In March 1943, Henry Mucci was observing an amphibious landing training exercise from the shore.

Henry Mucci was making such slow progress that both his clothing and life preserver became waterlogged and he began to sink.

In January 1945, Henry Mucci led 120 Army Rangers in liberating the Cabanatuan Prison Camp with the loss of only two men killed in action.

Henry Mucci returned home as a national hero in his home town of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Henry Mucci remained on active duty until April 30,1947.

In 1946, Henry Mucci took leave to run for Congress as a Democrat in Connecticut's 4th district to replace the retiring Clare Boothe Luce, but he was defeated by future governor and ambassador John Davis Lodge.

Colonel Henry Mucci died at age 88 in Melbourne, Florida, on April 20,1997, as the result of a stroke, being a complication of a fractured hip sustained at age 86, while swimming in rough surf near his home.

Henry Mucci was interred next to his wife Marian at the West Point Cemetery on May 5,1997.

The raid on Cabanatuan was depicted in the 2005 film The Great Raid, which featured actor Benjamin Bratt depicting Henry Mucci, Bratt bearing a remarkable facial resemblance to Henry Mucci.

Colonel Henry Mucci was charged with the rescue of several hundred Americans held prisoner by the enemy.

Colonel Henry Mucci promptly assembled a rescue team composed of Ranger Infantry, Scouts, guerrillas and Filipino volunteers.