World War II Honoree

Joseph Grecco

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

ENTERED SERVICE AS AN INDUCTEE ON NOVEMBER 2, 1942 AND TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP GRANT MEDICAL IN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNED TO THE 874TH AIRBORNE ENGINEERS IN ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA. TRAINED IN GLIDER FLYING AT FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA AS A PILOT AND CO-PILOT FOR A SHORT TIME AND HAD 2 PARACHUTE JUMPS THERE. WENT TO HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT FOR MORE TRAINING IN MEDICAL DISPENSARY WORK. HAD 3 MONTH LEAVE FROM HIS UNIT TO JOIN AN ENTERTAINMENT GROUP IN SPECIAL SERVICES AS AN EMCEE AND SOLD WAR BONDS IN LAURINBURG, NORTH CAROLINA AND FLEW IN B-47 AND B-52 AIRCRAFT. WAS REACTIVATED TO REJOIN HIS UNIT IN LAURINBURG-MAXTON, NORTH CAROLINA AND FORMED A 12 MAN DISPENSARY. WAS SENT TO PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA, STAGING GROUNDS THEN TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA AND FROM THERE SENT TO NEW GUINEA. WENT TO WEWAK AND SERVED IN THE PHILIPPINES. WAS ON THE WAY TO JAPAN FOR THE INVASION WHEN THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED. WAS RETURNED TO THE PHILIPPINES AND LEFT THERE FOR THE RETURN TO THE U.S. AFTER 24 MONTHS OF SERVICE OVERSEAS AND A TOTAL OF 38 MONTHS SERVICE WAS DISCHARGED AS STAFF SERGEANT AT FORT SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS ON DECEMBER 28, 1945.