Warbird Information Exchange

We have lost another of the greatest generation of aviatiors. Friday,May 27 Capt. Frank DeLorenzo, USN ret. flew his last patrol.
At the ripe old braggin age of 96 he was the senior officer among the veterans and flying boat buffs at PBY@yahoogroups.com. When he spoke, we listened. A career Naval Aviator, "Delo" spent his WWII flight time in PB2Y Coronados and was PIC on the 2Y that carried Nimitz to Pearl in Dec. 1941.
Like others of his generation he was a humble everyday guy who said till the last that he wasn't a hero. He had a lot of input in the restoration of the sole surviving example of the PB2Y at NNAM at P/cola and received his final honor of having his name painted on the airplane under the pilot's window.

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"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."

As you may know CAPT DeLorenzo volunteered in restoration
at NNAM for many years. Recently he had been in hospice care.
Thursday, NNAM held a brief dedication ceremony for the Coronado.
Frank was there in a suit and tie and in a wheelchair. His family was there, everybody shook his hand, the gals hugged him, and he was just beaming. They got him back to hospice, got him settled into
bed as he was worn out from the days events.......and he never
woke up......died the next morning. He was waiting for that plane.
All in all, not a bad way to go. The ceremony was recorded. Hopefully if will wind up on the 'net, perhaps on NNAM's F/B page.

Thanks for sharing that with us Owen, glad to see you back.

Godspeed CAPT DeLorenzo, & Thank You for your service. Blue skies, & calm seas to you Sir. R.I.P.

Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!

Blue skies Cpt. DeLorenzo and thank you for your service...

JOMiller, thank you for that post. I wasn't aware that Delo was in hospice care though I knew that he had become quite frail of late. I posted the link to PBY@yahoogroups.com so the other flying boat men could read your note.

Floats Up!

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"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."