George Amaral personal papers and family collection

Raised in East Providence, Rhode Island, to Joaquim and Maria (Leite) Amaral, George Amaral was one of twelve children (John J., Mary, Hortense, Anthony J., Manuel J., Joaquim Jr., Sylvester P., Eugene J., Horace J., Sylvia, David). Five of the brothers (Manuel, Joaquim, Eugene, Horace and George) served in the Navy during World War II. The brothers earned many awards, including four Bronze Stars and a Silver Star. Their sister, Sylvia, was very active in the war effort, and in fact received awards for selling War Bonds and Bond Stamps at Union Station (now the Rhode Island Foundation). In 1994, the brothers were recognized by the city of East Providence with a bridge dedicated in their name on Veterans Memorial Parkway in honor of their service. Fascinated by his family’s past, Mr. Amaral dedicates his time to genealogical research, including visits to São Miguel, Azores and completed a five-month tour of continental Portugal and Spain, where he gathered information on the Amaral family name and origin.