Cappy was born on 18 July 1915 in Brooklyn, New York.  Baptized as Giuseppe T Capossela, Cappy was known officially as Joseph, his anglicized name. In 1942, Cappy was drafted into the Army. 

Cappy thought the Army would give him a deferment since he was technically the sole support for his parents, a student, and physically unsuited as his height was below average. To his surprise he discovered the Air Corps loved smaller bodied men as they weigh less and fit better in the cramp conditions aboard airplanes.

His induction began on 19 September 1942 at the reception center on Long Island. He did his Basic Training in Miami Beach, Florida. In Novemeber he was sent to Radio School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Upon his graduation in March 1943, he was sent to Aerial Gunner School in Las Vegas, Nevada, which lasted until June.

Fully trained, his first practical duty sent him to the 12th Anti-Submarine Squadron at Langley Field, Virginia. This squadron did not have assigned crews but made up its crews on a daily basis. A side benefit of this practice allowed the men within the squadron to know each other better. Cappy was popular with everyone, officers and enlisted men alike. In September the 12th AS was sent to Blythe, California, for B-24 Combat Training and to serve as the cadre source for the new 492nd BG. The next month his unit was redesignated as the 859th BS, 492nd BG.

The 492nd began its group training in January 1944 at Alamogordo, New Mexico. Since Cappy was one of the originals from the cadre source, he did his part in helping orgainize the new group. He was also chosen to help ferry in more B-24s for training practice.

Since Cappy was one of the more experienced radio operators in the new group, he was assigned to the Earleywine Crew 901. Captain Earleywine was destined to pilot a Lead Crew. He too had served with the 12th AS in Langley but rather than going to Blythe with the unit, he had taken a crew through Crew Combat Training in Tucson and rejoined the group in January.

In April 1944, the 492nd was sent to the war in Europe. Based at North Pickenham, Cappy flew about half of his tour with the Earleywine Crew. In June the upper brass decided to transfer the Earleywine Crew to the 93rd BG for Pathfinder Training, special equipted planes that could navigate and locate targets using radar. Rather than leaving his many friends in the 492nd, Cappy asked to remain behind and be reassigned to another crew. His request was honored as he switched places with the radio operator on the Prytulak Crew 907. He did this knowing the 492nd was suffering high casulties.

Cappy's luck would have been good either way as both crews went on to complete their combat tour. The Prytulak Crew had come close to finishing their tour before the 492nd was disbanded in August due to high casualties. The 859th squadron was transferred to the 467th BG and re-designated as the 788th BS. T/Sgt. Capossela is credited with 31 combat missions.

Joseph T. Capossela passed away on 1 September 2005 after reaching his 90th birthday.