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Salvatore Pelle

From Bahaipedia
Salvatore Pelle
Pelle at the 1969 U.S. National Convention.
BornSeptember 5, 1917
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.
DiedAugust 26, 1995
Arizona, USA.
NSA memberHawaii
???? - ????

Salvatore "Tony" A. Pelle (September 5, 1917 - August 26, 1995) was an American Bahá'í who established one of the first Bahá'í offices of public information in the United States and was instrumental in developing ways in which accurate information about the Bahá'í Faith is publicized, often giving public talks on the Faith. He also served on the National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii for a time.

In his career Pelle served in the United States Air Force in public relations, was active in civic affairs and charities, and gave talks on the United Nations, space travel, and other scientific topics.[1]

Background & Early Life[edit]

Tony's parents were Italian immigrants, his father arrived in the United States in 1906 and his mother in 1910. He was born in Brooklyn in 1917, and by 1920 the family was living on South Second St in the Williamsburg District of New York where his father was working as a wagon painter.[2] By 1930 the family was living on Filmore Place and Tony was attending school and his father was working as a general laborer.[3] By 1940 the family was living on Mauyjer St. in Brooklyn, Kings County and Tony's father was working as a painter and furnace salesman.[4] At some point during his childhood Salvatore lived on a farm in New Jersey which did not have electricity.[5]

In his youth Pelle served as the editor of some Latin-American publications, and he was awarded the Bolivar-San Martin medal by the Pan-American Society for this work.[6]

Military Career and Discovery of the Faith[edit]

Pelle enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1942 and by 1945 he was a Lieutenant serving in Aberdeen. In 1945 he organized a drum corps.[7] When the United States Air Force became an independent service in September 1947 he joined the independent Air Force.[8]

As of 1947 Pelle was a Captain in the Air Force and was serving at Fort Richardson, Anchorage, in Alaska.[9] He saw an advertisement for the Faith while in Alaska, and having first read about the Faith in a magazine while in Aberdeen he contacted the Bahá'ís.[10] He became a Bahá'í in Alaska on May 12th, 1947, after about two months of investigation. He gave a talk about the Faith shortly after declaring.[11] On November 5th, 1947, he spoke on the topic Education in the New Age at a Bahá'í meeting for the public in Anchorage.[12]

Around July 1949 he transferred from Fort Richardson to Fort Dix in New Jersey,[13] but he ended up being transferred to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana in October 1949. While in Louisiana he became very active in civic affairs, becoming a member of the Armed Service committee of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Bossier chamber of commerce, a member of the Council of Social Agencies, helping organize the Community Military Council of Shreveport and Bossier, and chairing charity drives for polio, Community Chest, the Red Cross, the Cancer fund, and the Salvation Army at Barksdale.[14] In February 1951 Pelle's wife Charlotte handled publicity for a United Nations Exhibit held at a Barksdale women's club.[15]

By August 1951 Pelle was a Major and was transferred to Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. Charlotte remained in Lousiana with their son, Herbert (at this time fifteen) and they joined him later.[16] In November 1951 he gave a talk on the Faith sponsored by the Bahá'ís of Austin titled The Birth of World Religion at the Austin Hotel in Austin.[17][18] By January 1952 Charlotte had joined him in Texas and was active in the AFB Officers' Wives Club.[19][20] In August 1952 Tony facilitated a camp for scouts on the Air Force Base.[21] [22] In October he gave a talk titled Achieving a United World at the Driskill Hotel in San Antonio.[23][24]

By 1954 Pelle had been transferred to Patrick Air Force Base in Florida and that year he spoke at a Florida State Convention on the topic of Security for a Failing World.[25] By 1955 he was serving at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, and that year he was elected as the Hawaii delegate the United States National Convention.[26][27] He was elected as Hawaiis delegate again in 1956.[28] As of 1957 he was serving on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Honolulu, and that year he was elected Treasurer of the body.[29] In 1958 he was one of two Bahá'í's chosen to serve on a Brotherhood week planning committee by the Hawaii Chapter of the World Brotherhood.[30]

In June 1958 he was reassigned to the mainland, being transferred from his position as public information officer in the press center at Hickam to Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.[31] He was promoted to the rank of Lt. Col. at Maxwell and was also appointed as Chairman of the Gulf States Bahá'í Regional Teaching Committee.[32] In 1959 he assisted in a teaching campaign in Wilmington chairing a discussion on the Faith.[33]

Pelle was elected as a delegate to the 1960 National Convention to be held in Texas in late 1959,[34] and in 1960 he also returned to Wilmington to speak at a Race Amity picnic attended by about three hundred people.[35] In December 1960 he was again elected as a Texan delegate to the National Convention.[36] By 1966 he was serving as director of information of the Sixth Strategic Aerospace Wing at Walker Air Force Base, Roswell, New Mexico.[37]

Service to the Faith after Retirement[edit]

Salvatore retired from the military in February 1966 having achieved the rank of Colonel.[38] In April 1966 he helped guide the Baroness Maria Von Trapp, whose life story was the basis of the Sound of Music when she visited the Wilmette Temple in Illinois.[39] In May 1966 a full-time Bahá'í Public Information Department was established by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States with Tony being appointed as its Director.[40] That month he served on the Bahá'í delegation to the United Nations Annual Conference for NGO's held in New York.[41] In late 1966 he toured Canada speaking on the topic Religion in the Space Age, speaking in Montreal, Hamilton, and Toronto and being interviewed on television and radio.[42]

In 1967 he settled down longterm in Wilmette, but continued to travel extensively to speak on the Faith. That year he oversaw a publicity campaign for the 1967 Bahá'í International Conference in Chicago, and arranged for it to be able to call other International Conferences happening at the same time in a conference call.[43] In September 1967 he was appointed by the US National Spiritual Assembly to attend the UN Annual Conference for NGO's in New York.[44]

As of 1969 Pelle was serving on the National Teaching Committee,[45] and Bahá'í House of Worship Advisory Board.[46] Also in 1969 the Bahá'í Public Information Department was expanded and renamed the Bahá'í Public Information Committee, with Salvatore being appointed Public Information Officer of the Committee.[47] In late 1969 Pelle returned to Hawaii, speaking at the Honolulu Bahá'í Center and appearing on a television talk show.[48][49] As of 1971 Pelle was serving as Chairman of the National Teaching Committee, and that year he gave a presentation at the United States National Convention.[50]

Service in Hawaii[edit]

In 1972 Salvatore moved back to Hawaii where he was appointed chairman of a local branch of the American Cancer Society. He was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii, and helped establish the Bahá'í office of public information there, and also established the Agnes Alexander Award for service to humanity and managed the first International Bahá'í Youth Conference which was held in Hawaii. He also helped produce the television program Dawn of a New Day.[51]

Later Years[edit]

After Pelle's wife, Charlotte, passed away he returned to the mainland settling in Chandler, Arizona. He remarried to Marcia Swenson in 1995, but was hospitalized due to complications from diabetes in August that year and passed away after a short time in hospital.

The Universal House of Justice cabled the following message following his passing:

PROFOUNDLY GRIEVED LOSS DEVOTED, ENERGETIC, RESOURCEFUL SERVANT BLESSED BEAUTY SALVATORE PELLE. HIS LONG INVOLVEMENT DEVELOPMENT HOLY CAUSE THROUGH PARTICIPATION TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATIVE WORK ESPECIALLY DISTINGUISHED BY HIS ENDURING CONTRIBUTIONS EXTERNAL RELATIONS COMMUNITY THROUGH PUBLIC INFORMATION ACTIVITIES. HIS CREATIVE ENDEAVORS WHICH HE PURSUED WITH UNUSUAL VIGOR TEMPERED BY HUMOR AND GENUINE HUMILITY HAVE LEFT INDELIBLE MARK ANNALS FAITH. ARDENTLY PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.[52]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "Col. Pelle will talk about UN". Austin American-Statesman. Austin, Texas. 22 Oct 1959. p. 33. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  2. ↑ Salvatore Pelle United States Census, 1920, accessed online July 28, 2019(registration required)
  3. ↑ Salvatore Pelle United States Census, 1930, accessed online July 28, 2019(registration required)
  4. ↑ Salvatore Pelle United States Census, 1940, accessed online July 28, 2019(registration required)
  5. ↑ Talk: 1985 Greenlake Baha'i - Tony Pelle. joel smith Published on Jul 16, 2012
  6. ↑ F. Major to lecture at Hilo YMCA, Hawaii Tribune-Herald Hilo, Hawaii 12 Sep 1956, Wed • Page 2
  7. ↑ Easier on throat, Morning Olympian Sunday, Nov 11, 1945 Olympia, WA Page: 12 (subscription required)
  8. ↑ Baha'i World: In Memoriam 1992-1997, p 249
  9. ↑ Fear missing B-29 crashed in mountains, Morning Star Thursday, Jan 01, 1948 Rockford, IL Page: 1 (subscription required)
  10. ↑ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FusbSVawhZk 1985 Tony Pelle & Joel Smith interview - joel smith Published on Jul 7, 2012]
  11. ↑ [https://bahai.works/Baha%27i_News/Issue_197/Text#pg6 Baha'i News (1947). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. No 197, Pg(s) 6. View as PDF.]
  12. ↑ [https://bahai.works/Baha%27i_News/Issue_203/Text#pg12 Baha'i News (1948). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. No 203, Pg(s) 12. View as PDF.]
  13. ↑ The home front; Anchorage, Alaska, Baha'i News, Jul 1949, n221, p11
  14. ↑ Maj. Pelle assigned to Randolph AFB - Shreveporter is named base PIO at Barksdale, The Times Shreveport, Louisiana 10 Aug 1951, Fri • Page 17
  15. ↑ UN Tea and Exhibit delight guests at Barksdale Woman's Club Wednesday, The Times Shreveport, Louisiana 25 Feb 1951, Sun • Page 48
  16. ↑ Maj. Pelle assigned to Randolph AFB - Shreveporter is named base PIO at Barksdale, The Times Shreveport, Louisiana 10 Aug 1951, Fri • Page 17
  17. ↑ [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34121433/bahai_advert_for_talk_by_salvatore/ Mr. Salvatore A. Pelle, The Austin American Austin, Texas 10 Nov 1951, Sat • Page 5]
  18. ↑ `World Religion' topic for speaker at hotel, The Austin American Austin, Texas 10 Nov 1951, Sat • Page 2
  19. ↑ https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A10EEA20F1A545758%40GB3NEWS161D3CAED9B3CB64%402434041-161CE56AF9A8284C%4010-161CE56AF9A8284C%40 Coffee slated Wednesday], San Antonio Express Tuesday, Jan 29, 1952 San Antonio, TX Page: 11(subscription required)
  20. ↑ Luncheon held by club, San Antonio Express Thursday, Feb 07, 1952 San Antonio, TX Page: 16(subscription required)
  21. ↑ Explorer Scout Air Camp due, San Antonio Express Friday, Aug 01, 1952 San Antonio, TX Page: 6(subscription required)
  22. ↑ 50 Scouts at Randolph, San Antonio Express Monday, Aug 18, 1952 San Antonio, TX Page: 24(subscription required)
  23. ↑ [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34121519/bahai_salvatore_pelle_talk_at_meeting/ Baha'i group to hear San Santonio speaker, The Austin American Austin, Texas 24 Oct 1952, Fri • Page 19]
  24. ↑ United Nations talk given here, Austin American-Statesman Austin, Texas 27 Oct 1952, Mon • Page 1
  25. ↑ Baha'is plan state convention here, he Miami News Miami, Florida 01 Dec 1954, Wed • Page 17
  26. ↑ [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34122143/bahais_hold_state_convention_robert/ Bahai World Faith (sic) meeting Dec 15, The Honolulu Advertiser Honolulu, Hawaii 07 Dec 1955, Wed • Page 17]
  27. ↑ Hawaii delegate to national Baha'i meeting named, Honolulu Star-Bulletin Honolulu, Hawaii 10 Dec 1955, Sat • Page 75
  28. ↑ Baha'i Conclave is scheduled, Hawaii Tribune-Herald Hilo, Hawaii 21 Apr 1956, Sat • Page 2
  29. ↑ Baha'i community conducts election, The Honolulu Advertiser Honolulu, Hawaii 25 Apr 1957, Thu • Page 20
  30. ↑ Baha'is play active role in Honolulu's Brotherhood Week, Baha'i News, Apr 1958, n326, p14
  31. ↑ Five military PIOs here are reassigned to mainland, Honolulu Star-Bulletin Honolulu, Hawaii 18 Jun 1958, Wed • Page 14
  32. ↑ Gulf States, Baha'i Annual Reports 1959-1960, p16
  33. ↑ Summer fellowships prepare way for vigorous fall teaching programs, Baha'i News, Nov 1959, n345, p18
  34. ↑ Trio named by Baha'i, Austin American-Statesman Austin, Texas 08 Dec 1959, Tue • Page 15
  35. ↑ [https://bahai.works/index.php?title=File:US_Supplement_25.pdf&page=4 Many communities report warm response to interracial teaching activities, US Supplement to the Baha'i News, n25, Mar 1960, p 4]
  36. ↑ [https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A10EEA20F1A545758%40GB3NEWS162233638A8B2D75%402437271-16222E84191AE5B4%4016-16222E84191AE5B4%40 Gen. Briggs heads military section for 1961's Fiesta], San Antonio Express Friday, Dec 02, 1960 San Antonio, TX Page: 17 Elected delegate to national convention(subscription required)
  37. ↑ Walkder Base Officer to speak at UNM, Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque, New Mexico 18 Feb 1966, Fri • Page 5
  38. ↑ Baha'i Faith to meet in Fort Wayne, The South Bend Tribune South Bend, Indiana 09 Nov 1966, Wed • Page 45
  39. ↑ Baroness Maria Von Trapp…, Baha’i News, Jul 1966, n423, p13
  40. ↑ Public Information Department established, US Supplement to the Baha'i News, May 1966, n99, p3
  41. ↑ Two Baha'i delegations at recent United Nations conference, Baha'i News, Jul 1966, n424, p22
  42. ↑ More travelling teachers!; From US, Honduras, Canadian Baha'i News, Nov 1966, p6
  43. ↑ Salvatore 'Tony' Pelle 1917-1995, The Baha'i World In Memoriam, pp240-1
  44. ↑ Planning Human Rights Year - 1968, Baha'i News, Nov 1967, n440, p23
  45. ↑ Where our dollars go; National Teaching Committee, National Baha'i Review, Feb 1969, n14, p14
  46. ↑ Baha'i House of Worship Advisory Board, National Baha'i Review, Mar 1969, n15, p14
  47. ↑ New Public information committee and name change, National Baha'i Review, Aug 1969, n20, p14
  48. ↑ Baha'i Peace Plan, Honolulu StarBulletin Honolulu, Hawaii 14 Nov 1969, Fri • Page 38
  49. ↑ Conversation, The Honolulu Advertiser Honolulu, Hawaii 23 Nov 1969, Sun • Page 113
  50. ↑ Fragrance of gratitude - theme convention USA; Saturday Sessions, by Evelyn Hardin, Baha'i News, n484, Jul 1971, p8
  51. ↑ Salvatore 'Tony' Pelle 1917-1995, The Baha'i World In Memoriam, pp240-1
  52. ↑ Salvatore 'Tony' Pelle 1917-1995, The Baha'i World In Memoriam, pp241
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