Newsday Nov. 12, 2006

Veterans from Long Island and Queens share their memories and photos

When and where I served: Became a P47 Thunderbolt pilot Jan '43; Italy, France, Germany

I remember ... ...one of the 112 missions I flew was to destroy trains and rails. In a flight of four planes we found a large train. When we dived bombed the train it blew up and almost blew the four planes out of the sky. Each P47 received heavy damage. But for the strength of the planes we all managed to get back home to Piza, Italy. In November, 1945, we all received a Distinguished Flying Cross.