In Memoriam

In Memoriam

Carlo John Bengiovanni, Jr. (1944-2006) was our Director of Operations and our guiding light.

We at Sacramento Life Force Home Health Care deeply miss Carlo's presence here with us. However, all that he brought, taught and left us with will forever strengthen our agency and the quality of our care. His spirit will be with us and this agency always.

Carlo led a full life, he was at times larger than life it seemed. He was a fully decorated hand-to-hand combat battle field Vietnam Veteran. As a young man he served his country with Pride, Honor and Distinction. Carlo was even sprayed and soaked with the highly toxic defoliant Agent Orange by the United States Military, while serving in Vietnam. Agent Orange is what helped to cut his life short. Be that as it may, Carlo was always proud of his military service and loved his country.

He was a husband, father, brother, son and friend to those who were lucky enough to know him.

Carlo's wife Christine Clara Bengiovanni (Langlois) is, and always will be his life soul mate and the total love of his life. Carlo's love for Chris was the stuff that was so deep words can not describe it. Each and every day Carlo told "Chris" he loved her. The 20 plus years that they were together were full of many ups and downs, but their love was only made stronger. After opening gifts with his family with a fire going in their fire place, Carlo said on Christmas Eve 2005: "Only after I met Chris, I found what true love was."

We know that Chris feels just the same way...

Carlo as General Manager of King Ford in Milford Massachusetts was known as "Crazy Carlo". "King Ford" became known as "The Home of Crazy Carlo" and "The Home of Crazy Carlo's Hot Deals!!!" This was at a time before all the "crazy" advertising started. Thanks Carlo!!! :) It all caused quite a stir in the Blackstone Valley and Greater Milford Massachusetts area. If you talk with most folks over 30 in that area and ask them: "Do you know who Crazy Carlo is?" Most likely they would!!! (His Crazy Carlo Advertising was in all the area news papers, the few local radio stations, at the few area movie theaters and even the drive in!!).

Also, another title Carlo earned while in California when he was the Finance Director at a local Sacramento Car Dealership, was "The Godfather of Finance".

The one title Carlo earned from his family was "Mr. 4th of July". He absolutely loved ALL holidays all the way around! But, there was something about the 4th of July. That was his day!  Flags, patriotic music (like Kate Smiths' "God Bless America" ECT.), food (His favorite was Christine's Mothers' Potato Salad), drinks (Budweiser, the King of Beers), cooking out, fireworks (he LOVED fireworks!!), the sun N' fun, his pool ("Canon Ball !!!!"). Though most of all he loved being with Christine, his 3 sons, his other family, friends, their cats, dogs, fish, birds, rabbits and other critters! (in California and Massachusetts).

Carlo's favorite movie was Casablanca and his and Christine's favorite restaurant was in Milford, MA and called Bogart's (Where everybody knew Carlo & Chris).

Oh ya! Carlo was very excited about his new Flag Pole he got in 2004! He had it right in the frount yard. So you would be driving down the street toward Carlo and Chris' house, and you would either see the U.S. flag or the flag of his Vietnam Army Unit flying high and proud. Carlo was always a real Army Man through and through!!

"Carlo you did your Uncle Sam proud, both in Vietnam and here in America your whole life long!!" "Mostly, you made your wife Christine, your three sons "Carlo's Boys" Roland, Martin and Ian very proud." What are you most proud of you may ask? Well, the very thing is his love of family, which had him there through thick and thin. All the times he was there with the many countless "little moments", that mean the most, and burn so strong in all our hearts and souls.

His sense of adventure and sense of humor are the stuff legends are made of.

****A message to Carlo A.K.A. Mr. 4th of July.**** "While "pool side", with the Red, White and Blue flyin' high, fireworks A-crackin', we hail you with a salute, and toast you with an ice cold Bud to simply say: "We love you !! "(With the "Stars and Stripes Forever" playing in the back ground. Being performed by no other then The Boston Pops Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler, Conductor...Of Course!!!)."

Carlo's Unit: 196th Light Infantry Brigade UNIT HISTORY The 196th Infantry Brigade was first organized in 1921 as an element of the Army Reserve's 98th Division. Its mission then was to train soldiers. During World War II, the 98th Division arrived in Hawaii in April 1944, and was given the mission of defending Kauai and Maui initially; later it was made responsible for the defense of Oahu. In May 1945, the division began intensive training in preparation for its role in the invasion of Japan, but the war ended before the unit could leave Hawaii. It went to Japan for occupation duty, where it was inactivated in February 1946. The 196th Light Infantry Brigade was raised again at Fort Devens, MA in September 1965 and originally scheduled to be sent to the Dominican Republic in mid-1966, but was rushed to Vietnam instead and posted in the western portion of the III Corps Tactical Zone. It initiated Operation Attleboro into War Zone C of Tay Ninh Province, which developed into a major action after a large enemy base camp was uncovered, 19 October 1966. In April 1967 the brigade was selected, along with the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division and the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, to form a provisional division-sized unit called Task Force OREGON and moved to the I Corps Tactical Zone. The brigade stayed with this command, which was converted into the 23d Infantry Division (AMERICAL) 25 September 1967. The 196th Light Infantry Brigade officially joined this division, 15 February 1969. It operated throughout northern Vietnam, and after the division closed out of Vietnam, 29 November 1971, the 196th Light Infantry Brigade was reconstituted as a separate (provisional) brigade-sized element to safeguard the same area of operations. In April 1971 the brigade was relocated to Da Nang for major port security duties. It finally departed Vietnam as the last U.S. Army combat brigade to leave in Increment XII of the U.S. Army withdrawal.

196th Light Infantry Brigade Unit Shoulder Insignia Unit Crest The 196th Light Infantry Brigade Shoulder Insignia. The color blue is used to denote infantry, the yellow and red symbolize cavalry and artillery. The double-headed match, used during the days of the matchlock musket, is lighted at both ends to ensure readiness. The 196th was activated 15 September 1965 at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, by General Order Number 266. The Massachusetts origin of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade and its connection with early American history is symbolized by a blue powderhorn and red carrying strap, denoting infantry and artillery, and by a yellow - for cavalry - vertical arrow from the state seal of the Commonwealth.   Carlo's Notable Quotes: Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." --- John F. Kennedy Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." --- Theodore Roosevelt "Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground." --- Theodore Roosevelt

Carlo's Favorite Poem

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

The above flag is a reminder of the soldiers who were infected by the
"Orange Rain" (Agent Orange) that was used by the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War.

By the band New Order - The Lyrics to their song "Turn"
From their 2005 album Waiting for the Sirens' Call

Dedicated to: Carlo "Pops" and Christine "Mum/Mom"

From: "The Boys"  with Love and <<<HUGS>>>

"Turn"

It's a hard way to come home
You've got me on my knees
The walls are tumbling down
They're falling like the leaves

The days turned into months and years
I can't forget that you were here
I feel your presence everywhere
In the corner over there

Turn your eyes from me
It's time for me to go
Across the hills and over the sea
I want you more than you know

It's a wild world out there
And nobody gives a damn
In cold blood we don't care
And we don't want to understand

I'm sitting here alone at night
My sleepless eyes are open wide
What do you want me to say
What we had has gone away

The sky is high the road is long
Show me what I should have done
What do you want me to do
Take it all away from you

Turn your eyes from me
It's time for me to go
Across the hills and over the sea
I want you more than you know

Turn your eyes from me
It's time for me to go
Across the hills and over the sea
I want you more than you know