LtCol. Umberto "Al" Stella was a pilot who was proud to serve his country through his expertise and love of flying. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1948 and later served in the Korean War. While in Korea, a local Philadelphia newspaper reported that "Stella dived in his F-51" on a successful reconnaissance flight and that "all of the [Communist] trucks were hit and smoking." He flew the required 100 missions in Korea before returning home.

LtCol. Stella served in the Air Force Reserves at the Air Force Base in Willow Grove, PA, and he graduated from the Air War College in 1980. LtCol Stella was proud to serve in the military and proudly flew the American flag on the dock of his home in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey.

LtCol Umberto Stella is also remembered as Captain Umberto Stella. Captain Stella began his career with Pan American Airways in 1957 and flew with them until his retirement in 1988. Pan Am was the first airline to fly intercontinental flights and Captain Stella was one of the first pilots to volunteer to fly jets when they were introduced into the Pan American fleet. He was also one of the first to fly the Boeing 747 as Captain. During his long and successful career with Pan Am, Captain Stella flew to almost every major country except Australia and what was then known as the Soviet Union. His favorite destinations included Japan, where he bought (probably the first) video camera back to the U.S., and Africa, where he would go windsurfing.

In addition to being a talented flyer, Captain Stella was a carpenter, engineer, architect, plumber and, when necessary, an electrician. He could build anything and enjoyed doing so as a hobby. When he was a boy growing up in South Philadelphia, he built a model airplane that was too big to get out of the basement, so the family left it there when they moved. He aspired to become an astronaut, but decided against it after he married.

Captain Stella met Rose [Pappa] Stella in 1952. They corresponded while he was fighting during the Korean War and then married in 1954. Al and Rose's five children are proud to enroll their father as an Honoree on the National Air and Space Museum Wall of Honor.

Despite being away from home a lot, Captain Stella always put family first. On his retirement flight with Pan Am, the crew was astounded to see his wife with their five children and their spouses flying with him. On his 70th birthday, he was thrilled to fly his 16 grandchildren in his Cessna. On that day, he stated that 70 years "just flew by." A 17th grandchild was born after his death on January 22, 2000.

Captain Stella was a successful husband, father, and grandfather, but always, a pilot.