Benedict Gallo

1934-2015

Benedict J. Gallo died June 3, 2015. He was the son of Francisco and Maria Carmella (Bruno) Gallo. He was born an American citizen in Mevito, Italy on March 2, 1934 and raised in Mamaroneck, NY from the age of three. He graduated from Stepinac High School in White Plains, NY and earned a B.A. degree at the University of Connecticut, a Masters of Geology at University of Michigan, a Masters of Science degree at Eastern Michigan University and a Ph.D. in microbiology at the University of Michigan.

His early career was in high school teaching. His second career was as a microbiologist at the Soldiers Systems Command, Natick Labs from 1976-1995. He was recognized as the first scientist to patent a microorganism with a total of three patents by the United States Army. Some of his interestswere the use of microorganisms to degrade cellulose and the action of microorganisms upon a variety of chemicals. MSS