World War II Honoree

Anthony Garcia

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Margaret G. Greenwell

Relationship

Sister

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS ON APRIL 11, 1942 AND REPORTED TO MAXWELL FIELD, ALABAMA FOR AVIATION CADET TRAINING. AFTER 15 MONTHS OF INTENSE TRAINING AT VARIOUS BASES IN THE U.S., HE WAS COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT AT POCATELLO, IDAHO AND ASSIGNED TO THE 513TH SQUADRON, 376TH HEAVY BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 15TH AIR FORCE, WHICH WAS THEN BASED IN LIBYA. THE 376TH WAS ONE OF THE FIRST GROUPS TO BOMB THE OIL REFINERIES AT PLOESTI, RUMANIA. SERVED AS A NAVIGATOR ON B-24 LIBERATOR BOMBERS, FLYING MISSIONS OVER AUSTRIA, GREECE AND ITALY. AFTER COMPLETING HIS 19TH MISSION, WHICH WAS TO BOMB INDUSTRIAL TARGETS AT WIENER NEUSTADT, AUSTRIA, HE LANDED AT GERBINI, SICILY ON THE RETURN FLIGHT TO THE BASE IN TUNISIA. ANOTHER PILOT REPORTED SEEING THE PLANE LEAVE GERBINI AIRDROME AFTER IT REFUELED, BUT 'WOLF PACK' WAS NEVER SEEN NOR HEARD FROM AGAIN. HE WAS REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION ON OCTOBER 24, 1943 (AGE 24). AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS. THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL WAS AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY.