Frank J Calicura
Militaryowner of source material.
Frank Calicura served as a pilot with the 95th Bomb Group.
From Martinez News-Gazette article:
"Twenty-three years old and the father of two, Calicura was one of 17 children born to Mr. and Mrs. Sam Calicura who lived on Mellus Street. After graduating from Alhambra High School in 1938, he became a butcher, working for his brother, Sam."
"When the war came, Calicura took flying lessons at the little Martinez air strip that paralleled the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks on the waterfront and became a member of the Civil Air Patrol entering Army Air Force flight training in February, 1943. His brother Dominic entered flight training at the same time ending up as a training pilot for fighter aircraft."
"Calicura would have preferred lighter aircraft but was instead assigned to “heavies”, the huge four-engine planes being used in the European Theater."
He flew the B-17 'Spirit of Martinez' into the ETO, completed his 30 missions and flew the aircraft back again.
From Martinez News-Gazette article again:
"He resumed his career as a butcher later opening a shop on Main Street with his brother Billy."
"Frank Calicura died of a heart attack at his Martinez home in 1961 at the age of 41."
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Wing
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Belligerent Beauty
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Spirit of Martinez, Cal's Rascals
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Red Fox
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group
Missions
- Date: 6 May 1945
- Official Description:
- Date: 5 May 1945
- Official Description:
- Date: 3 May 1945
- Official Description:
- Date: 20 April 1945
- Date: 10 April 1945
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Primary Basic Flight Training |
Horham | 3 November 1943 - 3 December 1943 | USAAF Southeast Training Center. Taylor Airfield (Ocala Airport) |
Other Graduated from |
Alhambra High School, 150 E Street, Martinez, CA 94553, USA | ||
Other Pre-flight School (Pilot) |
Montgomery, AL, USA | Maxwell Airfield | |
Born |
|||
Other First Solo Flight Test Completed |
Ocala, FL, USA | Canal Field, Ocala, FL | |
Other Bambridge AAB Basic Pilot Training |
Bainbridge, GA, USA | 2 months | |
Other Turner Field Pilot Training (Advanced Twin Engine) |
15 April 1944 | Passed instrument Flight Test on 15, April 1944. |
Revisions
Martinez News-Gazette article: http://martinezgazette.com/archives/21825
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://95thbg.org/95th_db_pages/left_formation_code/gethonoroll.php