Louis Aldo Dentoni Jr

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
First Lieutenant Louis A. Dentoni of the 385th Bomb Group checks the bomb load of his B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lulu Belle" before a mission. Passed for publication 25 Sep 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Youth Of The Flying Fortresses. USP/224I-49. A Flying Fortress hero - the leading bombadier[sic] of this Flying Fortress group who is only 24 years of age. He is 1/Lt. Louis A. Dentoni, here seen in the bomb bay of his Fort, checking the load before the take-off on another mission in the "Lulu Be media-413630.jpg FRE 4946 First Lieutenant Louis A. Dentoni of the 385th Bomb Group checks the bomb load of his B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lulu Belle" before a mission. Passed for publication 25 Sep 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Youth Of The Flying Fortresses. USP/224I-49. A Flying Fortress hero - the leading bombadier[sic] of this Flying Fortress group who is only 24 years of age. He is 1/Lt. Louis A. Dentoni, here seen in the bomb bay of his Fort, checking the load before the take-off on another mission in the "Lulu Belle". Dentoni has been awarded an Air Medal for numerous missions over Germany and Occupied Europe, in which he has been largely responsible for the splendid bombing record set up in the past few months by his Fortress group.' Censor no: 285521. On reverse: Keystone Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Press caption for image series: YOUTH OF THE FLYING FORTRESSES. Little Americas are springing up all over Britain, each notable for the eager enthusiasm of young men typifying the youth of America imbued with the spirit to bomb and fight the Germans until the Nazi Menace is overcome and peace once again restored. Here in these ‘Little Americas’ a great bomber force has been built up and the enemy has felt the weight of this great air might in the daring daylight raids which are carried out almost daily. Rarely a day goes by without a might armada of Flying Fortresses streaming out with a great roar from their bases in Britain to wreck the enemy’s war machine. It is the youth of America that is so capably commanding these formidable new weapons of aerial warfare. Most of the crews were mere schoolboys at the outbreak of war. The spirit of these lads is refreshing- it is one of courage and determination to win out whatever the odds. Our cameraman- American War Correspondent, Samuel Goldstein, paid a visit to the Flying Fortress “Kindergarten” station, which is a complete unit of youth. The principal flying officers of the station are two “old men” of 39- the oldest members. While the “baby”-already a captain is 20. The commanding officer, Col Vandevanter, who has flown Fortresses through the battles over the Philippines, Java and Australia and has led his unit on numerous missions over Germany and occupied Europe, is just 26. His deputy Major Preston Piper of Santa Anna, Calif is 27. Major Piper led this group in the highly successful raid over Regensburg, Germany and heroically rescued most of his crew in the Fortress “Lulu Belle” when he was forced to ditch in the Atlantic, after being damaged over Bordeaux on a return mission from Africa. USP/2241 Keystone Press Agency. 25 Sep 1943.’ Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 4946 - First Lieutenant Louis A. Dentoni of the 385th Bomb Group checks the bomb load of his B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Lulu Belle" before a mission....

August 17, 1943 - Hospitalized in Africa. #42-30187 'Lulu Belle' B-17 piloted by Preston Piper was hit by flak and shot. Dentoni and navigator Lt. Paul Schultz manned waist guns as tail gunner had been injured.



On 9 October 1943, Dentoni serving as the bombardier in the 385th Bomb Group's lead aircraft plotted a perfect course over the aircraft assembly plant at Marienburg, ensuring effective bombing of the target. The Group's performance, thanks to Dentoni's actions, was described by General Arnold as the 'most perfect exhibition of precision bombing.'



On 14 January 1944, Dentoni guided the group on another effective run over Belmesnil.



On 6 March 1944 Dentoni was killed in action, while was serving aboard B-17F 42-3491 'Chopstick-G George', the lead pathfinder aircraft for the 3rd Bomb Division during the mission, which was assigned to the 482nd Bomb Group. The aircraft was hit by flak just after Dentoni had given the order for 'bombs away' over the target: Klein Machnow, Berlin, and one of the engines caught light. The aircraft fell out of formation before exploding in mid-air. Eyewitnesses reported 5 or 6 parachutes were seen, but only 3 members of the crew survived.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 385th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14066309
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator, Radio Navigator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lulu Belle
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 551st Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Chopstick-G George
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 812th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 551st Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Enlisted

San Francisco 27 October 1941

Other

Missing in Action

Berlin, Germany 6 March 1944

Other

Remains recovered by Germany authorities

Reserve Hospital 101, Olympsches Dorf, Berlin-Dobertiz 6 March 1944 Germany authorities were unable to identify his remains

Other

Officially declared dead

7 August 1945

Born

San Francisco

Buried

Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial Temporary burial by American authorities, before repatriation to USA

Buried

California

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Bishop & Hey, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Removed associations to 482nd Bomb Group and composite squadrons. As per the MACR Dentoni was one of three members of the 385th Bomb Group (the leading group of the mission on 6 March 1944) aboard 42-3491, who had been enlisted to augment the pathfinder crew assigned to the 482nd Bomb Group.

Enlistment Record

Missing Air Crew Report

385th Bomb Group Unit history, c 1945.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

385th Bomb Group unit history, c 1945, p 32, p 35 and p 40.

Obituary in the San Francisco Examiner, 26 August 1945, via newspapers.com

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" for clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Corrected a typo in the "Summary biography".

Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
- MACR 3362 ;
- Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces ;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database.

Additional details from:
- MACR 3362 at https://www.fold3.com/image/28633146
- http://www.385thbga.com/database/

Date
ContributorJenny
Changes
Sources

Corrected spelling

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / The History of the 385th BG pp. 52-54, picture p. 155, Combat Chronology Supplement p. 533

Louis Aldo Dentoni: Gallery (3 items)