John Leon Ferra

Military
media-20771.jpeg UPL 20771 England-Capt. Gentile shown having a last minute word with his crew chief, S/Sgt. John L. Ferra, 28, of El Segundo, Caliofrnia, before take-off. Sgt. Ferra has been with Capt. Gentile for 16 months and believes the Capt. to be a "Great fellow, and thinks his squadron to be the best to be found anywhere"

NARA Ref 342-FH-3A12152-50767AC.

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Object Number - UPL 20771 - England-Capt. Gentile shown having a last minute word with his crew chief, S/Sgt. John L. Ferra, 28, of El Segundo, Caliofrnia, before take-off. Sgt....

Assigned to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. John Ferra was the one time crew chief of Captain Don Gentile for which he is most famous for. After Gentile was sent home, Ferra took care of 4 other kites until he was sent home in September 1945.



Awards: GC, WWII Victory, EAME (6 Battle stars).

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

People

A pilot, Domenic "Don" Gentile, of the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group - Debden with his P-51 Mustang, nicknamed "Shangri-La"

Dominic Salvatore Gentile

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron No 133 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-885109
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Richard L Mansfield

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 336th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Assistant Crew chief

Aircraft

42-103603

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron

42-106686

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Ann III Lois
  • Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 328th Fighter Squadron 336th Fighter Squadron

42-8629

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 358th Fighter Squadron

43-6913

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Shangri-La
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron

44-15375

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Wickenburg, AZ 5 October 1911

Based

Debden 9 December 1942 - 20 September 1945 Assigned to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

Promotion

Debden, UK 1 April 1943 Promoted to Staff Sergeant.

Died

Casa Grande, AZ, USA 15 January 1999

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/539711324
https://www.fold3.com/record/71114869/social-security-death-index-john-…
https://www.fold3.com/record/90256000/world-war-ii-army-enlistment-reco…
https://www.fold3.com/record/619490117/u-s-department-of-veterans-affai…
http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/uploads/8/2/0/3/8203817/336_f…

Date
ContributorWD-C Mustang
Changes
Sources

http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/uploads/8/2/0/3/8203817/336_f…

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/uploads/8/2/0/3/8203817/336_g…

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

'1000 Destroyed' by Capt. Grover C. Hall, Jr. / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

John Leon Ferra: Gallery (4 items)

Object number: UPL 21175 - Video of Captain Don Gentile after returning from...

Object number: UPL 22574 - Video featuring Captain Don Gentile after...

Captain Don Gentile and Crew Chief Staff Sergeant John Ferra, of the 4th Fighter Group, in front of their P-51B Mustang "Shangri-La" (VF-T, serial no. 43-6913) at Debden air base, March 1944.

Object number: FRE 16 - Captain Don Gentile and Crew Chief Staff Sergeant...

Object number: UPL 20771 - England-Capt. Gentile shown having a last minute...