For a man who says “I love America,” Vincent Bocchetti of Port Charlotte was in a tough situation 70 years ago when he was drafted into the Italian tank corps. He was sent to North Africa to fight with German Gen. Erwin Rommel’s North Afrika Korps against English and American forces during the early part of World War II.

When he showed up for the draft in his home town of Naples, the recruiting officer told him he was too skinny for the Army. They drafted him anyway.