World War II Honoree

Carmen C. D'Amico

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CORPORAL. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS FEBRUARY 15, 1943 AT CLEVELAND, OHIO. SERVED AS A DOUGLAS C-47 ‘SKYTRAIN’ TRANSPORT RADIO OPERATOR ASSIGNED TO THE 96TH TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON, 440TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP, IX TROOP CARRIER COMMAND, A COMPONENT UNIT OF THE U.S. 9TH AIR FORCE. HE WAS STATIONED AT THE ROYAL AIR FORCE EXETER AIRFIELD, U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE STATION #463 ENGLAND. KILLED IN ACTION IN THE EARLY, MORNING HOURS, AT 01:40 ON D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944 IN THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY. THIS WAS THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, CODE NAME: OPERATION OVERLORD. HE DIED ALONG WITH 3 OTHER AIR CREWMEMBERS WHEN HIS C-47 WAS SHOT DOWN AND CRASHED INTO THE BAY OF THE SEINE. THE DOOMED AIRCRAFT HAD ENCOUNTERED A CONCENTRATION OF FLAK, MACHINE GUN AND SMALL ARMS FIRE AS IT APPROACHED DROP ZONE-D LOCATED NEAR ANGOVILLE-AU-PLAIN ON THE FRENCH COTENTIN PENINSULA. ALL 17 PARATROOPERS ON BOARD WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE CRIPPLED AIRCRAFT AND JUMPED INTO THEIR DESIGNATED DROP ZONE. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO OHIO, WITH INTERMENT IN A PRIVATE CEMETERY.