World War II Honoree

Arthur F. Monteverde

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hoboken, New Jersey

Honored By

John W. Brixius

Relationship

Friend

HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 9/15/1941, AND WENT THROUGH THE CADET PROGRAM HAVING 4 YEARS OF COLLEGE, AND WAS ASSIGNED TO PAN AMERICAN NAVIGATION SCHOOL IN CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA. HE WAS COMMISSIONED AS A AERIAL NAVIGATOR, AND WAS SENT TO THE NEW CASTLE ARMY AIR BASE IN DELAWARE. LATER HE TRANSFERRED TO THE 20TH FLYING GROUP IN THE AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND AT NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. HE MADE ABOUT 20 TRIPS FERRYING PLANES TO INDIA FOR THE RUSSIANS, LOTS OF TRIPS TO NORTH AFRICA WITH B-25, B-26, THEN B-17, B-24 AIRCRAFT TO ENGLAND. ALWAYS LEAVING THE PLANES AND CREWS THEN GOING BACK TO NASHVILLE FOR MORE ASSIGNMENTS. IN 1945 HE WAS PERMANENTLY ASSIGNED TO CASABLANCA TO FERRY TROOPS BACK HOME, AND WAS DISCHARGED JANUARY 10, 1946. AWARDS WERE: SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA, INDIA, ASIATIC-PACIFIC AND ENGLAND. MADE CAPTAIN SHORTLY AFTER DISCHARGE. PUT INTO INACTIVE RESERVE. LEAD NAVIGATOR THAT FLEW THE FIRST DAYLIGHT FLIGHT FROM CASABLANCA TO ENGLAND. ALL OTHER FLIGHTS WERE MADE AT NIGHT.