John Cirillo

John Cirillo was born August 25, 1920 on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx N.Y., son of Italian immigrants Raffaelle and Florenza Cirillo. He was a director of engineering at Walter Kidde INC in charge of research and development at the Belleville and Bloomfield facilities of Kidde He was also chief designer and engineer at the STRATOS Division of Fairchild-Hiller where he designed the wing extensions for the PEGASUS MICROMETEORITE detection satellite. Mr. Cirillo had previously been part of the design and engineering team that produced the CURTISS P-40 WARHAWK fighter of WW11 fame at Curtiss Aviation at its plant on Long Island NY FROM 1939-42. Soon after, Mr. Cirillo joined the Manhattan Project which produced the Atomic bomb, until his induction into the U.S. Army in which he served from 1944-46. Mr. Cirillo is survived by his wife of 40 years, Dolly Cirillo; his son John Jr.; his daughters, Dr. Claudia Cardona-Jannach of Danville, Monica Cardona Hennessy, Master of Arts, of NYC; his sons-in law Dr. Stephen Jannach MD and Lieutenant Colonel US ARMY Daniel F. Hennessy; and his greatly beloved granddaughter, Charlotte Jannach. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, May 9, 2014 at 10:00 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Anthony Marques officiating. Interment will follow at Danville National Cemetery with Military Honors presented by American Legion Dan River Post 1097 and the Virginia Army National Guard. Townes Funeral Home and Crematory, 215 West Main Street, is serving the Cirillo family.