Sebastian Francis Di Napoli

Military
media-48173.jpeg UPL 48173 Left to Right:
Major Robert J. Rooney (P), SSGT Herbert M. McCleary (G), SSGT Sebastian F. DiNapoli (G)
416th BG - 670th BS - 9th AF

Object Number - UPL 48173 - Left to Right: Major Robert J. Rooney (P), SSGT Herbert M. McCleary (G), SSGT Sebastian F. DiNapoli (G) 416th BG - 670th BS - 9th AF

Connections

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Units served with

An A-26 Invader (F6-P, serial number 43-22330) nicknamed "For Pete's Sake" of the 416th Bomb Group prepares for take-off at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group . Written on slide casing: '416 BG Mount Farm.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37437141
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-26102
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Nicknames: Snooks
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Newark, New Jersey 22 December 1919
Newark, New Jersey 1 July 1941 32 Third Street Worked for Acme Metal Company

Enlisted

Fort Dix, New Jersey 19 January 1942

Other

First 416th BG Combat Mission

Bernay, France 4 March 1944

Other

Wounded In Action/Crash Landed

RAF Ford, UK 18 July 1944 Lt Rooney was piloting his plane on a "window mission" on this attack, and was about ten minutes over France when a burst of flak made the right engine useless. A second burst damaged the interphone and the hydraulic lines. A third burst riddled the aircraft and with the interphone out of commission, lip reading was resorted to by the two gunners, S/Sgts McCleary and DiNapoli, which led to the knowledge that Sgt McCleary was badly injured. Sgt DiNapoli ripped McCleary's suit with a knife and applied a tourniquet and gave the injured gunner a needle of morphine to ease the pain. Lt Rooney was wounded in the back, and had severe pains in the abdomen, and fearing his gunners would not be able to get out due to possible wounds since the ship was so riddled, he turned his plane back, salvoed his bombs over a wooded area in France, and made for an emergency landing field in England. Coming into Ford, Sussex, landing field, a taking off Spitfire was heading right for them, and, raising his wheels just in time, the Polish pilot of the fighter just cleared the incoming ship of Lt Rooney. There was no hydraulic pressure left, and only one wheel dangled, but with no support, so Lt Rooney made a belly landing. The ship was a total wreck. Due to the severity of his wounds Lt Rooney was unable to get out of the plane and had to be extracted by the ground crews of the field. Both he and Sgt McCleary were rushed to the hospital there. A very bad compound fracture of the arm resulted in the transfer of Sgt McCleary to a hospital unit for removal back to the United States for recuperation.

Other

Final 416th BG Combat Mission

Marigny, France 5 August 1944 Completed a 53 mission combat tour

Sebastian Francis Di Napoli: Gallery (1 items)