World War II Honoree

Joe Celardo

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Staten Island, New York

Honored By

Holly Ann Seamon

SERVED AS A RIGHT GUNNER. WAS A MEMBER OF THE 330TH BOMB GROUP, 495TH SQUADRON KNOWN AS REYNOLDS RAIDERS. ON A MISSION OVER JAPAN, A SHELL EXPLODED IN THE COCKPIT, KILLING THE PILOT AND WOUNDING THE CO-PILOT. ALL INSTRUMENTS WERE GONE. A P-61 BLACK WIDOW NIGHT FIGHTER TESTING THEIR RADAR, HELPED GUIDE THE PLANE BACK TO IWO JIMA WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO BAIL OUT.