World War II Honoree

Joseph Patrick Gongola

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Wheeling, West Virginia

Honored By

Jeffrey L. Gongola

Relationship

Son

TECHNICAL SERGEANT. SERVED HONORABLY IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS AS A RADIO TECHNICIAN, 1942-1945. FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS IN ENGLAND IN PREPARATION FOR THE D-DAY INVASION OF FRANCE. HIS UNIT, THE 64TH AERODROME SQUADRON, WAS A FORWARD ECHELON SQUADRON THAT OPERATED THE FIRST AIRSTRIPS ON THE CONTINENT AFTER THE D-DAY INVASION. EACH TIME THE FRONT LINE MOVED CLOSER TO GERMANY, HIS SQUADRON MOVED. AFTER CONQUERING GERMANY, HE WAS ON A SHIP HEADED TO THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS WHEN THE SHIP DIVERTED HOME TO THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE JAPAN HAD SURRENDERED.