Fred John Dioquardo
Military![Sergeant Fred Dioquardo of the 303rd Bomb Group stokes the stove inside a hut. Image stamped on reverse: ''Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 28 Jan 1943.' [stamp], '245666.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Stoking the stove in an American Army Air Force hut somewhere in England. Sergeant Fred Dioquardo, of Bayport, Long Island, asked the photographer to send this message back to his parents and fiance Miss H Sherwood , Maple Ave, Long Island: "I will be home when I](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/wysiwyg_x2/public/freeman/media-378811.jpg.webp?itok=KY2Dq3xJ)
Object Number - FRE 943 - Sergeant Fred Dioquardo of the 303rd Bomb Group stokes the stove inside a hut. Image stamped on reverse: ''Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp],...
Flew 28 combat missions. Served as ball Turret Gunner with many pilots and on many different aircraft in the 360th Squadron of the 303rd Bomb Group.
First mission on 4 April 1943 with John Farrar (42-5260); 2nd one with Clemens Wurzbach (41-24562); third with Carl Morales (41-24562); fourth with John Van Wie (42-5393); fifth with Jack Timken (42-29656); sixth with Robert O'Connor (42-5360); seventh with Major Lewis Lyle (42-5260); ninth to twelve with Claude Campbell (41-24561, 42-3002 and two on 42-3029). Most other missions from 10 July 1943 on were flown with Lt William T. Baker on various planes, most frequently 42-5260.
John Dioquardo was credited with 1 Fw190 destroyed (mission of 17/7/43 with Claude Campbell in "Shangri La" #42-29754 and one Me110 damaged on the same plane with the same pilot the following day 16/8/43. Credited with one Fw190 destroyed, 17/8/43. Credited with another Fw190 and one Me110 destroyed. He completed his combat tour on 4 October 1943.
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O735486
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18057056 / O-724591
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-430994
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
![An airman of the 303rd Bomb Group with his B-17 Flying Fortress. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. Handwritten caption on reverse: '6-9-43 C.' On reverse: Associated Press [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407606.jpg.webp?itok=WK_uiDmS)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 2nd Bomb Group 303rd Bomb Group 351st Bomb Group 379th Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-364599
- Highest Rank: General
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-435877
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Duchess, Sure Stuff
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sky Wolf
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Terrible Ten, Skunkface
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars 322nd Bomb Squadron 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Mason's Morons, Shangri-La Lil
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 360th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Old Squaw
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 4 April 1943
- Date: 17 July 1943
- Date: 16 August 1943
![Regensburg, after being bombed by B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 385th Bomb Group, 17 August 1943. Official caption on image: "(O-5-1-385)(17-8-43)(30171-6 3/8 - 24,000)(Regensberg)." Passed for publication 6 Sep 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '#44: View of the target.' Censor no: 282458. On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-413725.jpg.webp?itok=AMwIgGyH)
- Date: 17 August 1943
- Date: 4 October 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Bayport, Long Island, NY | 26 January 1922 | Son of Frank and Mary Dioquardo. |
|
Other E/A destroyed |
17 July 1943 | Fw190 destroyed; 42-29754 'Shangri La' 17-Jul-43. | |
|
Other E/A damaged |
18 July 1943 | Me110 damaged; 42-29754 'Shangri La' 18-Jul-43. | |
|
Other E/A destroyed |
16 August 1943 | Fw190 destroyed; 16-Aug-43. | |
|
Other E/A destroyed |
17 August 1943 | Fw190 destroyed; 17-Aug-43. | |
|
Other E/A damaged |
17 August 1943 | Me110 destroyed; 17-Aug-43. | |
|
Died |
Bayport, Long Island, NY | ||
| Bayport, Long Island, NY | Recorded resident in Bayport in Jun-66 at the time of his mothers death. | ||
|
Buried |
Saint Lawrence Martyr Roman Catholic Cemetery Sayville, Suffolk County, NY | Father and mother buried at; Saint Lawrence Martyr Roman Catholic Cemetery Sayville, Suffolk County, NY | |
|
Based |
Molesworth | Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. | |
| Bayport, Long Island, NY | Worked as a florist pre-war; father and mother being in the florist business since emigrating from Italy circa 1915-6. | ||
|
Enlisted |
New York City, NY | New York City, New York |
Revisions
Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.
Removed # from A/C serial No. to aid clarity and consistency
Added punctuation to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Added a missing "(" for clarity.
Added a "#" to all the A/C serial numbers in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Added a "#" to the A/C serial numbers in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
303rd Bomb Group website : www.303rdbg.com
WW II Registry
Wrong last name : must be Dioquardo instead of "Diquordo"
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / daughter / http://303rdbg.com/rost-cd.html#C
![Sergeant Fred Dioquardo of the 303rd Bomb Group stokes the stove inside a hut. Image stamped on reverse: ''Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 28 Jan 1943.' [stamp], '245666.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Stoking the stove in an American Army Air Force hut somewhere in England. Sergeant Fred Dioquardo, of Bayport, Long Island, asked the photographer to send this message back to his parents and fiance Miss H Sherwood , Maple Ave, Long Island: "I will be home when I](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378811.jpg.webp?itok=kZtxwdDu)