Laureled Sons of Dartmouth
Men Cited for Heroism and Meritorious Achievement
CAPTAIN JOSEPH P. ARMANINI '40, USAAF, one of Earl Blaik's former tackles at Dartmouth, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Armanini, who is an Eighth Air Force Flying Fortress bombardier, also holds the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters.
The D.F.C. was awarded Captain Armanini for "extraordinary achievement while serving as bombardier during twenty bombardment missions over enemy-occupied Continental Europe, destroying one enemy airplane and materially aiding in the success of the missions by his inspiring example."
Lead bombardier on missions to both Regensburg and Paris, he considers the latter the most exciting: "There was a malfunction in my bombsight, and while I worked on it a Focke-Wulfe 190 shot a 20 mm. cannon burst into No. 3 engine. Fire broke out along the wing so I closed the bomb bay doors as we slipped down from the formation to avoid spreading the danger. While we were thus alone five more FW's attacked. We got three and the other two scrammed. Our increased flying speed extinguished the fire. The navigator didn't know about the fire, kept giving the pilot his course. When I. called the flames to his attention he made for my parachute and I started to argue with him when one of the boys brought his chute from back in the ship. Luckily we didn't have to use them."
The most recent account of Armanini was in the New York Times on January 7, 1944. It tells of the successful bombing of the Bauer & Schaurte bolt plant, which produces "about half of Germany's high grade nuts and bolts," in Neuss, a few miles west of Duesseldorf.
CAPTAIN JAMES N. LUTTRELL '37, USAAF, for his work in training French pilots to fly an American medium bomber, has been made an Honorary Member of the French Air Force. He and three others were recently given their French wings which are worn on the right hand pocket of their blouse.
(For an account of Captain Luttrell's winning of the D.F.C. see Laureled Sons for October, 1943.)
MAJOR PHILIP S. CONTI '37, USAAF, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Details are lacking. (His winning of the Air Medal was described in this column in November, 1943.)
CAPTAIN PAUL L. MATHER '18, USN, who has spent twenty-six years in the Navy, has been awarded the Lesion of Merit.
His citation reads: "For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. during the amphibious invasion of the Island of Sicily.
The U.S.S. was the headquarters ship for a major task force. Captain Mather, by his professional skill, able leadership and coolness under fire, so directed the facilities of the ship that all commanders and staffs embarked were able to accomplish successfully their assigned missions. The outstanding performance of the U.S.S. as headquarters ship greatly contributed to the success of the invasion.
The extraordinary ability and outstanding devotion to duty displayed by Captain Mather reflected great credit upon himself and the Naval Service."
Captain Mather won the commendation of Generals Clark and House and received a ribbon for his work at Salerno.
THE JANUARY, 1944, issue of the DARTMOUTH ALUMNI MAGAZINE, carried in Laureled Sons an account of Lt. Edward B. Giorchino's ('40) winning of the D.F.C. It is a pleasure to report that Lieutenant Giorchino has been awarded his 4th Oak Leaf Cluster by authority of Major General James Doolittle.
As further recognition of meritorious service with the USAAF he has been assigned as tactical advisory officer and aide to the Colonel of the 466 th Bomb Group in England from which point he has now completed the required number of missions.
The recent citation from Major General Doolittle reads in part: "for extraordinary achievement, while serving as a pilot pn .... bombardment missions over enemy continental Europe. Displaying great courage and skill, Lt. Giorchino has materially aided in the success of each of the missions and his actions are an inspiring example for his fellow fliers. The courage, coolness and skill displayed by Lt. Giorchino on all these occasions reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States."
THE DEATH IN ACTION over Amiens, France, of Lt. Robert J. Holdom '38, USAAF, on July 14, 1943 has been reported.
To his widow the Air Medal and Purple Heart have been presented.
Lieutenant Holdom was cited for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in five separate bomb combat missions over enemy-occupied continental Europe. The courage, coolness and skill displayed by this officer on these occasions reflect great credit "upon him and the armed forces of the United States.
TT. PAUL R. BADGER '41, USAAF, navigator on a B-24 Liberator, has recently completed his 22nd mission over Germany, and has just been appointed squadron navigator.
Lieutenant Badger has received the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters, and at least two theater ribbons with a campaign star for each ribbon. Before being transferred to England he was on active anti-submarine duty in the North Atlantic.
LIEUTENANT (jg) EDWARD F. HUGHES '41, USNR, who has for some time been reported "missing in action" in the South Pacific, has been awarded the Air Medal. His citation reads:
"For meritorious achievement participating in aerial flight as Pilot in Bombing Squadron during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands Area from April 26 to July 28, 1943. Fighting with outstanding aggressiveness and courage, Lieutenant (jg) Hughes launched consistently accurate dive-bombing attacks against strongly fortified positions and, in spite of heavy anti-aircraft fire, inflicted serious damage on the enemy and aided materially in the advance of our ground forces. His superb airmanship throughout these hazardous missions and during a strike by our forces at enemy shipping in Kahili Harbor, in which four hostile destroyers were sunk reflects great credit upon the United States Naval Service."
