World War II Honoree

Ernest Puglisi

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Central Islip, New York

Honored By

Michael McTiernan

In April of 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and received his basic training at Kelly Field, Texas. He served for six months overseas in the European Theatre of War. As a gunner-armorer on a B-24 he engaged in thirty combat missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. After his return to the United States, he was sent to the Army Air Force Redistribution Station at Atlantic City, New Jersey for re-assignment. He was shortly transferred to the office of Air Inspector, Lowery Field, Colorado. He was discharged on September 22, 1945, at Baxter General Hospital, Spokane, Washington.