Albert Albino was born on April 7, 1919 in Sunnyside, Carbon County, Utah to Frank Oliveto Albino and Caterina “Catherine” Grace Albino, nee Tritante. Both parents had been born in Italy. Anthony’s siblings were Joseph, Victor, Pearl, Gloria, Angelina, Dolores, and Anita Albino. The family lived in Aberdeen, Grays Harbor, Washington, where Frank was a carpenter. Albert graduated from the J. M. Weatherwax High School in Aberdeen in 1937, where he served as a “yell leader.” In 1943, the News Tribune reported that Lt. Albert “Porky” Albino had “promised to shoot down a Nazi plane and dedicate it to Aberdeen if the Bobcat gridders beat Hoquiam in their Thanksgiving day game.”

Albert Anthony Albino registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. He was 21 years old, 5’7” tall, and weighed 140 pounds. He had black hair, brown eyes, and a dark complexion. He lived in Aberdeen and was unemployed. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps on March 17, 1942 in Los Angeles, California. His residence was Grays Harbor County, and he was working as a dancer. He was single, without dependents, and had a high school education.

In September 1942, Albert was a flight cadet at the Santa Ana Army Air Base in Santa Ana, California. The Santa Ana Register reported that Cadet Albert Albino played the part of “the hula girl” in the Cadet Follies of 1942. In November 1942, he was an aviation cadet at Hancock College of Aeronautics in Santa Maria, California. Albert was the master of ceremonies for the “Gopher Hop” dance orchestra held at a local theater.

Lt. Albert Albino served in the 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group. According to Missing Air Crew Report # 1428, Lt. Albino was a Fighter Pilot on P-38 #42-67051, nicknamed “Spirit of Aberdeen.” On November 29, 1943, Albino was on an escort mission to Bremen, Germany when his plane was shot down by enemy aircraft. He was killed in action when the plane crashed near Hoogeveen, Holland.

According to the American Air Museum in Britain’s website, Lt. Albert Albino was initially declared missing in action, and his name was inscribed on the Wall of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery in England. However, in February 1979 his remains were discovered during excavations at a railyard at Hoogeveen. Lt. Albinos’ remains were returned to the States and reinterred in the Mount Calvary Cemetery at Portland, Oregon. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Air Medal.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project

(see 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.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact me at clock902@aol.com.

SBTSProject/Washington/Grays Harbor

Sources:

Findagrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56287309/albert-a-albino

Findagrave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145447563/albert-a-albino

American Battle Monuments Commission, https://www.fold3.com/record/529900708/albert-a-albino-american-battle-monuments-commission

WWII Army and Army Air Force Casualty List, https://www.fold3.com/image/310763493?rec=299418986

Santa Ana Register, 19 Sep 1942, Sat · Page 7, https://www.newspapers.com/image/74554709?utm_source=fold3.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Fold3

Santa Maria Times, 13 Nov 1942, Fri · Page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/629968701?utm_source=fold3.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Fold3

The News Tribune, 17 Nov 1943, Wed · Page 14, https://www.newspapers.com/image/733597561?utm_source=fold3.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Fold3

1930 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/111666154:6224

1940 United States Federal Census, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/67440486:2442

American Air Museum in Britain, https://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/2492

School Yearbooks, 1900-2016, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/314375743:1265

World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2804924:8939?tid=&pid=&queryId=f0b48e054664a2e27faec9da842ee5fb&_phsrc=xOR58567&_phstart=successSource

World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/36826177:2238

Albert A Albino