Joseph Taddonio.
Ball Turret Gunner · 328th Squadron · Of East Boston, MA.
The Man Behind the Name
Flew with the 376th Bomb Group in Libya, then transferred to 93rd Bomb Group at Hardwick, England in February 1944. Participated in battles at Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Air Combat Balkans, Air Combat Europe, Normandy, Northern France, and Air Offensive Europe. Also flew with the 9th Air Force in the Middle East, 12th Air Force in North Africa, and 15th Air Force in North Africa and Italy before joining the 8th Air Force. Completed a total of 40 missions. Credited with shooting down one ME-109 on Nov. 2, 1943, over Wiener Neustadt, Austria.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.
Before and after.
Born Dec. 18, 1920 in East Boston, MA. Enlisted in the Air Force September 1942. Left Salina, KS in a B-24E (ball turret) to Benghazi, Libya in August 1943.
Discharged July 1945 as staff sergeant. Received Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with six clusters. Credited with shooting down one ME-109 on Nov. 2, 1943 over Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Retired optometrist.