World War II Honoree

Alexander P. 'Al' Beltrami

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

San Francisco, California

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM AS A BOMBARDIER. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF TRAINING, WAS AWARDED HIS SILVER BOMBARDIER WINGS AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR UNIT AND CREW TRAINING IN THE AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY ABOARD IN COMBAT. SERVED AS A BOMBARDIER OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 15TH AIR FORCE ON B-24 'LIBERATOR' HEAVY BOMBER AIRCRAFT. FLEW 35 COMBAT MISSIONS. HIS B-24 'LIBERATOR' BOMBER UNIT SERVED PRIMARILY AS A STRATEGIC BOMBING ORGANIZATION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN ALLIED AIR FORCES, ATTACKING AIRCRAFT FACTORIES, BALL BEARING FACTORIES, MARSHALLING YARDS, AND AIRFIELDS. MOST OF THE EFFORTS OF HIS UNIT DURING THE WINTER OF 1943-44 WERE DEVOTED TO SUPPORTING THE GROUND CAMPAIGN IN ITALY. THEIR AREA OF OPERATIONS INCLUDED GERMANY, AUSTRIA, THE BALKANS, NORTHERN ITALY, AND THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST OF FRANCE. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.