Foil: 3 Panel: 4 Column: 2 Line: 16

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Michael J. Mazza

John A. Mazza was born in 1917 in Willard, Ohio He enlisted in the Army Air Force in October 1942, and went through Airplane Engine and Mechanic School at Seymor-Johnson North Carolina, followed by Aerial Gunnery school in Ft. Meyers, Florida. He was promoted to Tech Sergeant, and, in 1943, was assigned as a Flight Engineer to a B-17 combat crew in Ephrata, Washington. The crew completed phase training in Avon Park, Florida, in late 1943, and in February 1944 they arrived in Italy, assigned to the 419th Bomb Squadron, 301st Bomb Group of the 15th Air Force. John flew 51 combat missions over Italy, Germany and Eastern Europe between February and July 1944. The first of John's four missions to Ploesti was flown on April 5, 1944, with their aircraft flying Group lead. John's final mission was to the Blechammer Oil refinery in Germany, on July 7, 1944. John was rotated home in July 1944, and married Rosemary Wood in August 1944. John remained in the Reserves after the war, and was recalled to active duty in 1951 when he was assigned to the 1268th Squadron, 1500 Group, MATS based in Hawaii. He flew as a flight engineer on C-54's, flying airlift missions between Hawaii and Japan/Korea. He was discharged in 1952, but remained in the Reserves until 1963. During his military service John was awarded the Air Medal with four clusters; the African Middle Eastern Medal with four stars; and a Presidential Unit Citation with one cluster, among others.

John and Rosemary lived in California from 1947 until his death in 2001, the last thirty-five years in the famous wine-producing town of Saint Helena. In retirement, he enjoyed helping to restore military aircraft at the museum of Travis Air Force Base, today coincidentally, the home of the 15th Air Force.