78th FG, 79th Service Group, 84th Service Squadron: Sgt Molina, from Concord, California, was the 3rd Air Division’s No 1 Bantamweight Champion. “Mo” fought his way into the Royal Albert Hall in London in June 1943 to cop the ETO Bantamweight Diadem – in 1944 he walked off with the USSTAF Championship. In 1945 the fighting “Tiger” pounded out a decision over Pvt Howard Moreno at Bury St Edmunds to advance to Eighth Air Force finals. In 1945 he was fighting for the USSAF Crown.



My uncle, Primitivo Molina, was the only brother of my mother, Delapaz Molina. They were from Iloilo, the Philippines, and immigrated here through Hawaii in the late '20s. Uncle Primo was based at Duxford in England sometime during 1942 and from what I recall he was an aircraft mechanic there. I realize that because his car engines were so shiny, one could eat off them and he used typical British phrases like describing a "bloke" and spelling words different from American English, among other customs. We also knew he had won some boxing titles and medals during his wartime duties.