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James Dianni was born March 12, 1950 to James W. and Anne Farrell Dianni. He had an older brother Jack and a sister Mary Anne. In Rye the family lived at 9 Grapal Street and were parishioners of the Church of the Resurrection.
Duke grew up in Rye attended Resurrection School and was a Rye High School graduate, Class of 1968. In high school he played basketball and football and was a member of the Varsity Club.
 Duke served with U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Spec 4D company 1/11 Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division (M)Quang Tri, Viet Nam from 1970-71.
By 1968 the division was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, as a mechanized formation. 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division was dispatched to South Vietnam after the Tet Offensive to replace a U.S. Marine Corps unit.
 The brigade, consisting of one battalion each of infantry, mechanized infantry and armor, served there from July 1968 until 1971 defending the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone in northern Quảng Trị Province. Combat units included Duke's 1st Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment.
In July 1968, the 11th deployed for action in Vietnam and operated in Cam Lộ, Đông Hà, Quảng Trị, and Khe Sanh. The 11th Infantry participated in several major operations, including Operation Dewey Canyon II, Operation Wolfe Mountain, and Operation Green River.
The 11th Infantry Regiment suffered 153 killed in Vietnam and returned to Fort Carson on 6 August 1971.
Duke was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantry Badge.
 After his honorable discharge Duke returned home to Rye. In 1973 he began a career spanning over 30 years of community service with the Rye Fire Department. He spent decades teaching Rye students the importance of fire safety. He would retire as Chief Fire Inspector.
On June 9, 1979 Duke married Deborah Lynn Hagele at The Manhattanville College Chapel in Purchase The bride was the daughter of then Rye City Police Chief William E Hagele. The ceremony was performed by the Rev James McGuire of Archbishop Stepinac High School White Plains formerly of the Church of the Resurrection. A reception was held at the Woman’s Club of White Plains
Duke, employed as a firefighter by the City of-Rye was then attending Westchester Community College. Following their wedding trip to Paradise Island in Nassau the Bahamas the couple planned to live in Rye.
Debbie and Duke would have three daughters and the family would reside on York Avenue in Rye. An avid sports fan, Duke for many years was the "Voice of the Garnets" announcing home football games.
He has missed only one Rye -Harrison game since the 1950's. While stationed in Vietnam he used his one phone call to call home on the second Saturday of November in 1970, to find out the score of "The Game".
Duke was also a renowned powerful slugger in the Rye Mens Softball League playing on many championship teams. He served many years as a co-Chairman for the William H. Balls Field Day, which was held annually on Labor Day.
Duke is a walking encyclopedia of the History of Rye. In the late 1990's he was the champion of the Rye Cable TV show "What's My Rye-Q". In 2012 he was on the founding committee of the Rye World War II veterans project which is now Ryevets.org.
With his wealth of knowledge Duke continues to be a leading resource for this project. As a Veteran and Veteran advocate Duke attended a Veterans Day service at Resurrection Church in November 2022. Approximately 300 Resurrection students participated and Duke was right in the middle of the flag waving throng. See pic
Give a "Hear-Hear " to Duke for his lifetime of service to family, community and country!!
Street address: 9 Grapal Street DOB: March 12, 1950 Spec 4D company 1/11 Infantry, 5th Division (M)Quang Tri, Viet Nam 1970-71, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge
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