Angelo Toricelli was a career soldier in the United States Army. Beginning in 1925 and continuing through the entirety of the Second Great War, he was adjutant to General Abner Dowling. Toricelli first met Dowling when Dowling was assigned as military governor of Salt Lake City, Utah. When Dowling became military governor of the entire state after the assassination of General John Pershing, Toricelli ascended with him. Toricelli was instrumental to Dowling as a sounding board for ideas on governance of the state.