Lt. Colonel William Bonelli was at Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941, and witnessed the Japanese attack. He survived, and the memories stayed with him.

After Pearl, Bonelli was sent to the Fiji Islands where he worked as an airplane mechanic, mostly on the B-17 Flying Fortress. A chance meeting would give Bonelli the opportunity to become a pilot and fly his beloved bomber.

He went on to fly 30 combat missions over Italy, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service as a pilot. He continued to serve after WWII, flying tactical bombers in the 1950s.

William P. Bonelli died peacefully at his home on May 12, 2021.

Interview recorded on May 26, 2019

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