"For extraordinary heroism . . . while serving as bombardier on a mission to Germany, 13 April 1944. Before the plane reached the target it was viciously attacked by enemy fighters, and Lt. Dello Buono was seriously injured by a 20mm shell which exploded on contact with his flak suit. Despite the seriousness of his wounds, Lt. Dello Buono manned his nose guns until the target was reached, and then dropped his bombs squarely in the group's pattern. He then returned to his guns and, ignoring his pain and the danger of frostbite from the cold air blasting through the nose, refused to leave his post until fighter attacks had ceased and the enemy coast had been passed on the way home."

On the 13th of April, 1944, the 303rd Bomb Group was on another OAF mission against the ball bearing plants of Schweinfurt, Germany. 2Lt Thomas J. Dello Buono, a native of New York City, was the bombardier aboard the B-17 Idaliza of the 360th Bomb Squadron. During attacks by a swarm of German fighters, a 20mm shell shattered the plexi-glas in the nose of Idaliza and exploded on the flak vest of Lt Dello Buono, seriously wounding him. One half-inch piece of shrapnel lodged in his chest near his heart. His left thumb was severed at the first joint and fragments of the shattered plexi-glas lodged in his right shoulder. Knocked 12 feet to the back of the compartment, after regaining consciousness he crawled back to his nose gun, refused morphine and continued to fire at the enemy aircraft with the frigid winds blowing through the shattered nose compartment.

Forty minutes later, when the formation reached the target, he dropped his bombs squarely on the target. Refusing his crewmates request to move back to the comparative warmth of the radio room, he then continued to man his guns against the enemy fighters. Only when they crossed the enemy coast, and England was in sight, did he agree to move out of the forward compartment, suffering from a painful case of frostbite. Lt Dello Buono was awarded the nation's second highest award for heroism, the Distinguished Service Cross, the third 303rd airman to be so honored.

Photos courtesy of W. E. Jones, 303rd forum

Flak jacket worn by 2LT THOMAS J. DELLO BUONO on Apr 13 1944.

AC# 42-97546, PU-E,  " Idaliza"  after the nose section was blown out on Apr 13 1944.