Saturday, April 19, 2008

Jacob Attone

My plan for this blog is to get the type of personnal information of individuals to make a docummentary about life in the 414th. How they lived and coped day to day or should I say night to night. But to do this I need the help from those of you that have this information, or better yet I would love to interview on-camera any surviving members of the 414th. Below is an example of the type of information that I am looking for. Any information would be a big help.

Jacob Attone's family had emigrated from Italy. The original family name was Altadonna, but it had been mangled at Ellis Island when his parents came to America. Over the years various members of the family changed the name back to Altadonna. Jacob's brothers, Anthony and Rosario, known as Russell, changed it when they went into the service. Jacob enlisted in the New Jersey National Guard on June 3, 1940 as Jacob Attone, and was called to active duty when the Guard was mobilized on September 16, 1940. Jacob Attone was planning on re-taking the Altadonna name but sadly, his time ran out.

Jacob Attone graduated from the Boca Raton Florida Army Air Field, after which he went overseas. His first flying mission was on September 24, 1944, as a radar observer.

Jacob was reported as missing in action on September 25, 1944. Presumably, the entire flight crew was reported missing in action, but their names are unknown at this time.

The Department of War changed Jacob Attone's status to killed in action on April 11, 1945.

You can read more about Jacob's story at http://www.dvrbs.com/ccwd-WW2/CamdenWW2-JacobAttone.htm