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S/Sgt. Louis J. Mancano
722nd Squadron
S/Sgt. Louis J. Mancano
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S/Sgt. Mancano is standing, third from the left.
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S/Sgt. Mancano is standing outside a camp hut.
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S/Sgt. Louis J Mancano US Army Air Force served his country in World War II with the 450th Bombardment Group in the 722nd Squadron as a Ball Turret Gunner on the B-24 “My Akin Ass?”
The 450th Bombardment Group was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation Service Ribbon on February 25, 1944, for a mission against the Prüfening Aircraft Factory in Regensburg, Germany.
Hazardous weather was encountered shortly after takeoff, and over 15 enemy fighters intercepted them while still 300 miles from the target.
The approach to the target were heavily defended by flak batteries that threw up an intense barrage through which the formation flew undaunted to a precise bombing run.
The 450th Bombardment Group was awarded a second Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster on April 5, 1944, for a mission against the Ploesti, Romania Marshalling Yards.
Fifty to sixty ME-109's and FW-190's attacked relentlessly, aided by ten ME-110's and ten to fifteen JU-88's which shot rockets into the bombing formation.
Enemy fighters however followed this unit for 25 minutes after the bombs were released and managed to down two more bombers.
S/Sgt. Louis J Mancano was awarded the Air Medal decoration with two Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC) for three bombing missions:
- February 22, 1945 during the West Marshalling Yards, Rosenheim, Germany bombing mission (Air Medal)
- March 30, 1945 during the North Station & Goods Depot, Venna, Austria bombing mission (Air Medal 1st OLC)
- April 25, 1945 during the North Main Marshalling Yards, Linz, Austria (Air Medal 2nd OLC)
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Target Photographs
Information courtesy of Mike Mancano, son of Louis Mancano.
Link To Crew Information
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