World War II Honoree

Leonard John Bertoli, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Cincinnati, Ohio

Honored By

L. J. Bertoli III

Relationship

Son

SERVED MARCH 18, 1944 TO JUNE 25, 1945. NAVIGATOR ON B-24 LIBERATOR BOMBER. MEMBER OF EDMUND S. TWINING'S CREW, KNOWN AS 'NED'S NASTY NINE.' JOHN BERTOLI, JR. WAS ENROLLED AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY WHEN THE U.S. ENTERED WORLD WAR II. HE ENTERED THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM, WHICH ALLOWED HIM TO COMPLETE HIS DEGREE AT A FASTER PACE PRIOR TO ACTIVE DUTY. HE MET THE REST OF HIS CREW A FLIGHT TRAINING IN CASPER, WYOMING. THEY WERE SENT TO MCCOOK NEBRASKA MAY 15 AND WERE TRANSFERRED TO TOPEKA, KANSAS ON MAY 28. IN JUNE THE CREW MOVED TO CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSY, A STAGING AREA FOR TROOPS GOING OVERSEAS. THE MEN BOARDED THE ATHLONE CASTLE, A CONVERTED BRITISH OCEAN LINER ON JUNE 15, 1944 AND LANDED IN LIVERPOOL ON JUNE 19. THEY TRAVELED BY TRAIN TO THE REPLACEMENT DEPOT AT CAMP STONE (JEFFERSON HALL) STRATFORDSHIPRE. THEY FLEW TO CLUNTOE COUNTY, TYRONE IRELAND INI A B-18. ON JUNE 15, 1944 THEY WERE FLOWN TO THE BASE AT WENDLING, ENGLAND, LOCATED IN THE NORFOLK REGION NEAR THE VILLAGE OF BEESTON. JOHN BERTOLI SERVED WITH THE 579TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON H, 392ND BOMBARDMENT GROUP H OF THE 8TH AIR FORCE. THE 8TH AIR FORCE FLEW DALYLING MISSIONS AND THE ENGLISH FLEW NIGHT MISSIONS. JOHN BERTOLI COMPLETED 30 COMBAT MISSIONS IN EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS WITH ENGLAND AIR FORCE. HE COMPLETED 210 COMBAT HOURS, TOTAL FLIGHT TIME 387 HOURS. HE SERVED IN THE FOLLOWING BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS: NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDEENES MEDALS AWARDED INCLUDE THE AIR MEDAL WITH 4 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, EUROPEAN-AFTICAN-MIDDLE-EASTERN MEDAL, AND THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS JOHN BERTOLI WAS RELIEVED FROM ASSIGNMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ON 16 FEBRUARY, 1945. HE WAS SENT TO CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY AND THEN TO THE RECEPTION CENTER AT CAMP ATTURBURY, INDIANA. HE WAS SENT TO THE AAF REDISTRIBUTION STATION IN SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA PRIOR TO BEING RELIEVED FROM ACTIVE DUTY.