Don Salvatore Gentile
Dwight Eisenhower with Don Gentile (center) and Don Blakeslee (right) during a Distinguished Service Cross presentation, April 1944.
National Museum of the United States Air Force; source credit D.L2.4thFighterGroup. Public domain in the United States. Full original photograph; no changes. The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.. The official item explicitly labels its photograph public domain and cleared for release. Credit field D.L2.4thFighterGroup does not identify an individual photographer. Historical editorial use under linked DMA limitations; no endorsement.
Why Included
WWII fighter ace
Biography
WWII fighter ace; 23 aerial kills; Eisenhower called him a one-man air force; died in 1951 crash at 30. Distinguished Service Cross; Air Medal; Eisenhower declared him a one-man air force
Notable For
- WWII fighter ace
- 23 aerial kills
- Eisenhower called him a one-man air force
- died in 1951 crash at 30
Honors & Recognition
- Distinguished Service Cross
- Air Medal
- Eisenhower declared him a one-man air force
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Don Salvatore Gentile Italian?
Yes — Don Salvatore Gentile is of Italian heritage with roots in Italian. WWII fighter ace
Articles about Don Salvatore Gentile
Italian American Veterans: Courage, Service, and the Stories Behind Familiar Names
· 13 min read
From John Basilone at Guadalcanal to Yogi Berra at Normandy, discover the military service of Italian Americans remembered for courage, leadership, music, film, and baseball.
Explore the wider history of Italian Americans.
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Quick Facts
- Field
- Military & Service
- Specialty
- WWII/Aviation
- Years
- 1920–1951
- Birth Place
- Piqua, OH
- Origin
- Italian American descendant
- Regional Ancestry
- Italian
- Publication Status
- Published
- Ancestry Verification
- Needs Review
More in Military & Service
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- John Basilone(1916–1945)
- Vito Bertoldo(1916–2002)
- Anthony Casamento(1920–2005)
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