Grew Up In:

New York City, NY

Rank, Service:

9th Army Air Corps, Private First Class

Years Served:

1942-1945

Places Served:

Air bases at Wormingford and Headcorn, England until June 1944; then France (including the Battle of the Bulge), Luxembourg and Germany until September 1945

Story:

Dad was a first generation Italian-American kid from Brooklyn; after Pearl Harbor he enlisted and joined the AAC hoping to become a B-17 pilot, but his eyesight wasn’t good enough so he became an armorer on P-47 Jugs instead. His outfit, the 362nd FG, 379th FS, was nicknamed Mogin’s Maulers, and became known for their aggressive missions (over 13,000 combat sorties). Dad kept in touch with his squadron buddies until he passed in 2004, and he frequently said that those war years were the best of his life. He is missed every day, but I know he’s in Heaven’s Canteen dancing with Betty Grable and swapping tall tales with his besties Fireball, Doc Shuzzard and Washable. (Dad’s nickname was The Wop With the Wild Mop). Love you, Dad, and thank you.