Program

Great American Rail-Trail

Subject

Event, People

Location

2516 Acorn Dr, Dayton, OH 45419, USA

Lat/Long

39.71176424576, -84.153476672177

Grant Recipient

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Dominic “Don” Salvadore Gentile was born on December 6, 1920, in the small town of Piqua, Ohio. He learned to fly while still in high school, and in 1941, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, eventually serving with the famed 133 Eagle Squadron. It was with this squadron, in August 1942, that he earned the British Distinguished Flying Cross after downing his first German aircraft.

By September 1942, Gentile was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces and assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Paired with his legendary wingman, Captain John T. Godfrey, the duo became a devastating force. Together, they were credited with destroying more enemy planes than any other pair of American pilots in history.

After swiftly being promoted to Captain, Gentile became a leading ace, credited with 27.8 German planes destroyed between 1942 and 1944—comprising 19.8 aerial victories and 6 ground kills. His prowess was so undeniable that General Dwight D. Eisenhower labeled him a “one-man air force” while presenting him with the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Over the course of 182 combat missions and 350 combat hours, Gentile amassed an astounding array of honors. His American decorations included the Distinguished Service Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with seven clusters, Air Medal with three clusters and the Presidential Unit Citation with two clusters. His international prestige was equally vast, earning medals from Italy, Belgium, and Great Britain—including the British Distinguished Flying Cross. Capt. Gentile additionally received the Eagle Squadron Crest, personally awarded by the King and Queen of England.

In June 1944, the ace was sent home for a war bond tour. He then transitioned from the front lines to a role as a test pilot at Wright-Patterson AFB in his home state of Ohio. He was honorably discharged in April 1946 but remained deeply connected to the service through the Air University program while attending the University of Maryland.

On January 28, 1951, Don S. Gentile was tragically killed during a routine flight. While logging required flight time in a T-33 Shooting Star jet trainer, Gentile’s aircraft plummeted at a steep angle, clipping treetops before bursting into flames in Ritchie, Maryland.

He left behind a widow, Isabella Masdea, and two sons. In recognition of his enduring impact, he was posthumously promoted to Major.

For more information:

https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196913/maj-don-s-gentile/

https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-23092/