Salvatore Artino was eight-years-old when he emigrated from Sant’Agata Militello, Messina, Sicily, with his older brother, Vincenzo, in 1903. They settled in Lorain County near Bellevue, OH, as Vincenzo was able to secure work on the railroads in that area.

When Italy entered WWI in April of 1915, Salvatore had just turned 20-years-old. He was still an Italian citizen as he had not yet naturalized. The Italian government enacted conscription to increase the size of its military force. Italian citizens who arrived in the U.S. before age 17, like Salvatore, were not required to join the Italian Army. But they did have to register as eligible for military service with the local consulate.