World War II Honoree

Nick Colaiuta

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Multnomah County, Oregon

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: STAFF SERGEANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS AUGUST 17, 1943 AT GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. SERVED AS A B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ BOMBER BALL TURRET GUNNER ASSIGNED TO THE 422ND BOMB SQUADRON, 305TH BOMB GROUP, 40TH COMBAT WING, U.S. 8TH AIR FORCE ‘MIGHTY EIGHTH’. HIS UNIT WAS BASED AT THE CHELVESTON ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION IN ENGLAND, UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE STATION #105. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1944 WHEN HIS BOMBER COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ OVER THURLEIGH, ENGLAND. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE RETURNING TO BASE FROM A BOMBING MISSION OVER HANOVER, GERMANY. A HEAVY OVERCAST AND POOR VISIBILITY WERE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT CAUSED THE MID-AIR COLLISION, WHICH TOOK THE LIVES OF 18 AIRMEN. HE IS BURIED IN THE CAMBRIDGE AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: AIR MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AND A PURPLE HEART. THE AIR MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO THE SERGEANT FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT.