Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Honored By
William, Sandra, Ronald & David Granchelli
Relationship
Children
ON APRIL 10, 1943 (AGE 19), ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE. HE WAS A RADIO OPERATOR/GUNNER IN THE 15TH AIR FORCE, 461ST BOMB GROUP, 766TH BOMB SQUADRON, STATIONED IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. FLEW ON 15 MISSIONS IN SUMMER 1944. SHOT DOWN DURING MISSION 77 ON AUGUST 7, 1944, WHEN THE CREW OF THE 'FERTILE MYRTLE' WERE APPROACHING THE TARGET, BLECHHAMMER NORTH OIL REFINERY, GERMANY. THEIR MISSIONS INCLUDED 2 SORTIES TO THE HEAVILY GUARDED PLOESTI OIL REFINERY, ROMANIA. PRISONER OF WAR FOR 9 MONTHS IN GERMANY'S STALAG LUFT IV IN GROSS TYCHOW, POMERANIA. ENDURED 86-DAY BLACK MARCH IN WINTER 1945, THE COLDEST WINTER OF THE CENTURY. ON APRIL 26, 1945, THE 80TH DAY OF THE MARCH, HEARD THE DISTANT ROAR OF THE AMERICAN AND BRITISH COLUMN HUNDREDS OF FEET AHEAD. THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS WERE LIBERATED THAT DAY. ELEVEN DAYS LATER, MAY 7, 1945, GERMANY SURRENDERED. ON MAY 8, 1945, V-E DAY (VICTORY IN EUROPE), WAS DECLARED.