Joseph L. Cittadini collection

Collection — Container: 01.0359 - Box 1

Identifier: 01.0359

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection relates to Joseph L. Cittadini who served as a Navigator with the 384th Bombardment Group. The collection includes photographs, letters, and official documents from his time as a navigator with the US Army Air Corp and his time as a prisoner of war during World War II. Photographs include several of Cittadini with his crew of the "Goin' Dawg" and "Nutalls Nut House" B-17 bombers. Cittadini was a prisoner of war for a year after being shot down on a mission over Berlin and was held in several POW camps, but primarily in Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Germany. His account of this is told in detail in both a manuscript and an oral history transcript.

Other documents include letters from his wife, Florence, detailing her experiences as a wife of a soldier who was missing in action. Several official records are included, which give information on topics such as Cittadini's marriage, his receipt of a Purple Heart, and his medical history. Also included is a copy of the October 1944 edition of the Navigator's Information File.

Dates

Created: 1943-2005
Other: Majority of material found in 1944
Other: Date acquired: 10/22/2004

Creator

Cittadini, Joseph L. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Biographical or Historical Information

Joseph L. Cittadini was born September 15, 1916, in Montreal, Canada. At age 11, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he lived for most of his adult life with wife Florence.On August 14, 1943, he joined active service at age 25, making him one of the older men during his Navigator Pre-Flight and Advanced training at Selman Field, Lousiana. As part of the 384th Bomb Group out of Grafton-Underwood in England, he completed 19 missions before his plane went down on the 20th. Cittadini was then captured and held as a prisoner of war for almost a year, primarily at Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Germany, then in Stalag XIIID in Nurnberg, then finally in Stalag Luft VIIA in Moosberg, moving each time allied forces drew near. The camp in Moosberg was liberated by General Patton's 3rd Army on April 29, 1945.

Upon release, he was sent to Miami Beach, Florida and then Ellington Field, Texas for rehabilitation. After the war, he received the Purple Heart for wounds received during his 20th mission. Cittadini left active service in December of 1945, though he remained a reserve officer until 1968. The last few years of his life were spent in Melbourne, Florida near Patrick Air Force Base. His rank at death was Lieutenant Colonel.