John F. Tarzi a.k.a Johnny Tarzi was Private in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on October 11, 1920 to Chester and Benita Tarzi. His parents and his grandfather, Albert Zepponi, were Italian immigrants. Johnny had four siblings: Attilo born in 1919, Frank born in 1920, Jimmy born in 1925, and Gloria in 1930. His father owned a butcher shop and Johnny and his brothers often helped out there.