World War II Honoree

Vincent J. Ferraro

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Brooklyn, New York

Honored By

John W. Brixius

Relationship

Friend

JOINED THE ARMY AIR CORPS AT AGE 19 AND TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI. THEN HE WENT TO AMARILLO, TEXAS TO MECHANIC SCHOOL, THEN TO LAS VEGAS FOR GUNNERY SCHOOL. WENT TO LINCOLN, NEBRASKA FOR CREW TRAINING. AFTER ALL THAT TRAINING, HE WENT TO NEW YORK AND BOARDED THE AQUITANIA FOR A RIDE TO ENGLAND. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 8TH AIR FORCE AS ENGINEER GUNNER ON A B-17; FLEW 17 MISSIONS OVER GERMANY AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA. ON HIS 17TH MISSION IN APRIL 1945, THE LAST DAY THE 8TH AIR FORCE FLEW MISSIONS, HIS PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN OVER CZECHOSLOVAKIA. SERVED FROM AUGUST 1942 TO NOVEMBER 1945.