World War II Honoree

Italo 'Chick' Gemmato

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

New York, New York

Honored By

William Snow

Relationship

Crewmate

1ST LIEUTENANT. VOLUNTEERED FOR PILOT TRAINING AND BECAME FIRST PILOT OF A B-24 IN THE 15TH AIR FORCE, 465TH BOMB GROUP, 782ND BOMB SQUADRON, BASED IN ITALY. CREW SURVIVED THE LOSS OF 3 B-24 AIRCRAFT BECAUSE OF HIS SKILL AND DEDICATION. HE CRASHED LANDED ON AN ISLAND IN THE ADRIATIC SEA. BAILED OUT OVER BOSNIA, YUGOSLAVIA AND WAS SPIRITED TO THE COAST BY MARSHALL TITO'S PARTISANS THROUGH HOSTILE TERRITORY. LASTLY, HE BAILED OUT OVER LINZ, AUSTRIA. MARCHED TO MAUTHAUSEN CONCENTRATION CAMP NORTH OF LINZ AND REMAINED THERE FOR ONE DAY AGAINST THE WALL STANDING AT ATTENTION WHILE A DECISION WAS MADE BETWEEN THE WAFFEN SS AND THE SS. HE AND HIS CREW WERE THEN TRANSFERRED TO STALAG 18C WHICH WAS ADJACENT TO BERCHESGATEN. WERE HOSTAGES UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR.