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T/Sgt. August B. Marinelli

Click any image to enlargeAugust B Marinelli portrait formal

 

T/Sgt Marinelli entered the Army Air Force in December 1942. He trained as a radio/gunner and was attached to the 344th BG 495th BS.

August B Marinelli Portrait informal Colorized

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The Purple Heart was awarded to August B Marinelli for wounds received in action against an enemy of the United States on 23rd April 1944, while serving as a radio gunner on a B-26 airplane on a combat operational mission over enemy occupied territory.
Son, Joseph Marinelli remembers, “I think he told me the plane was disabled and he had to bail out and hurt his ankle/leg when he landed on the ground but I am not absolutely certain.” “He went on another mission a week later so I don’t think it was a serious injury.”
Marinelli Purple Heart

.Purple HeartAugust B Marinelli crew

S/Sgt. Marinelli with his training crew.

 

On D-Day the 344th BG led all Allied bombers. They destroyed enemy pillboxes with large bombs and dropped small bombs to create foxholes on Utah Beach. The result was far fewer casualties as Omaha Beach. 197 deaths vs 2000.

If Lt. Col. Norgaard piloted the first plane, Marinelli under Lt. Fitzwater was not far behind in position 1-2-5.

.Load List full page 6-6-44 D-Day 1 p693 B0290 Fitzwater-Marinelli

The crew that day was; 2nd Lt. Fitzwater pilot, 2nd Lt. Middleton co-pilot, S/Sgt Beckshaw bombardier, S/Sgt Marinelli Radio Operator and Side Gunner, Sgt. Smith gunner, and Sgt. McCarter gunner.

At  4:16am Marinelli and crew took off. The plane they flew for that mission was 42-107625  Esquire Y5-T.

B0290 p786 June 6, 1944 Mission 1 Debrief Fitzwater-Marinelli

.Fitzwater reported that their 16 – 250lb bombs were dropped on target at 6:09am. The bombs were dropped from an altitude of 6,200 ft. They returned to base at 7:50. They encountered weak and inaccurate flak.

At one point Marinelli and some buddies visited London while on leave and took some time to see the sights.

L-R James E. Smith, (Gus)Marinelli, (Mac) McCarter at Westminster abby

L-R James E. Smith, (Mac) McCarter, (Gus) Marinelli at Westminster Abby

 

 

.On June 11, T/Sgt. Marinelli and crew flew a mission to Conde Sur Noireau to attack German defenses. Conditions made it impossible to drop bombs. This was always a frustration after enduring enemy anti-aircraft guns.B0290 p1517 June 11, 1944 Form Fitzwater-Marinelli

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B0290 p1520 June 11, 1944 LL Fitzwater-Marinelli

After just 39 missions was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart. He was also promoted to T/Sgt. See promotion announcement below.

.August B Marinelli promotion

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Air Medal 2

While stationed in England he met and married his wife Jean.

Marinelli Wedding Colorized

T/Sgt. August B. Marinelli was honorably discharged in July 1945.
After the war,  he returned to his hometown of Walpole Mass,  attended Northeastern University on the GI bill and took up mechanical engineering as a profession. He had three children, and he passed away in 2004.