Louis Aldo Dentoni Jr
Military ROLL OF HONOURIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
August 17, 1943 - Hospitalized in Africa. #42-30187 'Lulu Belle' B-17 piloted by Preston Piper was hit by flak and shot. Dentoni and navigator Lt. Paul Schultz manned waist guns as tail gunner had been injured.
On 9 October 1943, Dentoni serving as the bombardier in the 385th Bomb Group's lead aircraft plotted a perfect course over the aircraft assembly plant at Marienburg, ensuring effective bombing of the target. The Group's performance, thanks to Dentoni's actions, was described by General Arnold as the 'most perfect exhibition of precision bombing.'
On 14 January 1944, Dentoni guided the group on another effective run over Belmesnil.
On 6 March 1944 Dentoni was killed in action, while was serving aboard B-17F 42-3491 'Chopstick-G George', the lead pathfinder aircraft for the 3rd Bomb Division during the mission, which was assigned to the 482nd Bomb Group. The aircraft was hit by flak just after Dentoni had given the order for 'bombs away' over the target: Klein Machnow, Berlin, and one of the engines caught light. The aircraft fell out of formation before exploding in mid-air. Eyewitnesses reported 5 or 6 parachutes were seen, but only 3 members of the crew survived.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14066309
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Navigator, Radio Navigator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lulu Belle
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 551st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Chopstick-G George
- Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 551st Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 6 March 1944
- Date: 14 January 1944
- Date: 9 October 1943
- Date: 17 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Enlisted |
San Francisco | 27 October 1941 | |
Other Missing in Action |
Berlin, Germany | 6 March 1944 | |
Other Remains recovered by Germany authorities |
Reserve Hospital 101, Olympsches Dorf, Berlin-Dobertiz | 6 March 1944 | Germany authorities were unable to identify his remains |
Other Officially declared dead |
7 August 1945 | ||
Born |
San Francisco | ||
Buried |
Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial | Temporary burial by American authorities, before repatriation to USA | |
Buried |
California |
Revisions
Removed associations to 482nd Bomb Group and composite squadrons. As per the MACR Dentoni was one of three members of the 385th Bomb Group (the leading group of the mission on 6 March 1944) aboard 42-3491, who had been enlisted to augment the pathfinder crew assigned to the 482nd Bomb Group.
385th Bomb Group Unit history, c 1945.
385th Bomb Group unit history, c 1945, p 32, p 35 and p 40.
Obituary in the San Francisco Examiner, 26 August 1945, via newspapers.com
Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
- MACR 3362 ;
- Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces ;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database.
Additional details from:
- MACR 3362 at https://www.fold3.com/image/28633146
- http://www.385thbga.com/database/
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / The History of the 385th BG pp. 52-54, picture p. 155, Combat Chronology Supplement p. 533