Leno George Benuzzi was born on December 17, 1925, in Cravens, Latimer County, Oklahoma to Pio and Georgina Benuzzi both who emigrated from Gigio, Montano, Italy on October 25, 1910 on the SS Chicago, where they made their way to Oklahoma. Pio worked as a laborer in a coal mine and was also a stone Mason. Leno had five siblings, Yolanda, Pete, Mary, Johnny, and Lena. Leno completed the sixth grade.

Military:

Leno enlisted in the Navy on December 18, 1943, after basic training we find him as a Seaman First Class aboard the USS Nassau (CVE-16) on the roster of enlisted passengers in 1944 returning from Oahu. S1 Benuzzi joined the 119th Patrol Bombing Squadron that took off on routine search patrol of Hanain Island off the Gulf of Tonkin in a PB4Y-2 Bu. No. 59559 crew 4. They failed to return, and all radio contact was lost. It was discovered that they crashed into a mountain east of the town of Ling Shui, Hanain Island. Cmdr. H.M. Drake of Fleet Air Wing 17 was on board, there were no survivors. Those killed along with S1c Benuzzi were:

Lt. John W. Holt

Ens. Firmin J. Urban

Ens. Marshall C. Baker

ACM John F. Moe

ACRM Milton F. Smith

ACMB1c Adolph H. Busse

ACM2c Henry B. Babb

AMMF3c Livio J. Banda

ARMC3 Jesse L. Middleton

ARM3c Paul D. Wilson

ACM3c Fred Kautz, Jr.

Distinguished Flying Cross

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Seaman First Class Leno G. Benuzzi (NSN: 8853121), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. During the period from 20 April 1945 to 1 May 1945, Seaman First Class Benuzzi participated in five flights for a total of twenty flights completed in an active combat area where enemy anti-aircraft fire was expected to be effective and where enemy aircraft patrols usually occur. His conduct throughout has distinguished him among those performing duties of the same character.

S1c Leno G. 'Benny' Benuzzi is memorialized at Jefferson Barracks, Jefferson City National Cemetery, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, and Gold Star among his many awards.

Sources:

Oklahoma, U.S., Naturalization Records, 1889-1991 - Ancestry.com

1940 United States Federal Census - Ancestry.com

US Navy Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-119 (vpnavy.org)

Leno Benuzzi - Recipient - (militarytimes.com)

U.S., National Cemetery Interment Control Forms, 1928-1962 - Ancestry.com

S1 Leno George Benuzzi (1925-1945) - Find a Grave Memorial

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery.

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