Joseph Gambucci
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Joseph Gambucci was inducted into the Army Infantry in July of 1942.
He transferred to the aviation cadet program, multi-engine, and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant and certified pilot in October of 1943.
He assigned as a flight instructor at Bergstron Air Force Base in Austin, Texas. In the China-Burma-India Theater in May of 1944 he served with the 3rd Combat Cargo Group and 12th CC Squadron as an instructor pilot.
He flew air drops for the Indian 14th Army and British 36th Div. He was transferred to the 443rd Troop Carrier Group and 1st Troop Carrier Squadron where he flew 1,374 combat hours and 347 "Hump" missions.
He moved to Warazup, Burma and flew Japanese POWs out of Myitkyina, and fuel and supplies into Flying Tiger bases in Burma and China. His aircraft was shot up over drop zones 109, 110 and 2006 and shot by own anti-aircraft fire over Warazup.
He left the China-Burma-India Theater in June of 1945 at Calcutta.
Mr. Gambucci was awarded the Purple Heart and War Medal (China.
He was recalled back to active duty for the Korean Conflict and flew 51 missions in C-130 cargo aircraft and carried 101st Airborne Div. Infantry.
Retired as Major USAF, November of 1967.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 86.
