WWII 370th Fighter Gp. Michael Lariccia D-Day, Normandy, France Relic Flag Lot

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WWII 370th Fighter Gp. Michael Lariccia D-Day, Normandy, France Relic Flag Lot:
$1355.00

From the private collection of Cpl. Michael Larriccia (35604380).

THIS IS ONE OF ONCE IN A LIFE TIME.

GROUPINGS LIKE THIS ONE ARE IN MUSEUMS OR PRIVATE COLLECTIONS. Many of the itemsfromthe 370th aredisplayed in the American Air Museum inBritain! Another listingverysimilarof a \"WWII C-47 PILOT AIRBORNE TROOP CARRIER NORMANDY, BASTOGNE, MARKET GARDEN\'just sold for $3,050. Take advantage of thisamazing listing.

Cpl. Michael Larricciaparticipated in air offensive operations inEuropeincluding Operation Market Garden (D-Day), as well as combat recorded operations inNormandy,Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe. During his service over the course of WWIICpl. Michael Larriccia was awarded6Bronze Stars, EAME TheaterService Medal,DistinguishedUnit Badge, Good Conduct and Victory Medal.You will receive ALL of his personal items carried with himduring his time with the 370th Fighter Group.

1. Very large 48 Star United States personal Flag carried byCpl. Michael Larriccia during hiscombat with the 370th. Shows lots ofwear.

- 2 1943 dogs tags witnext of kin -

2. Pilot/Work goggleswith alloriginal parts.Strap islabeled with \'Michael Larriccia\' and hisserial number.

3.Michael Larriccia disscharge papers andfullrecords with awards,service history, fingerprints, etc.

4.Theater made 9th AirForce patch with one that looks inpristinecondition.

5. Lot of 7 postcards handwrittenpostcards

6. Full 5th of Nov. 1943 370th Fighter Group GI made newspaper.

7. Draft newspaper clipping ofMichael Larriccia.

8. Mic. patches and rank

9. 1943Math Review withwriting and notes.

- History of the 370th Fighter Group -

The370th Fighter Groupwas a unit of theNinth Air Forcethat was located in theEuropean Theater of OperationsduringWorld War II.

D-Day:

The group provided cover for Allied forces that crossed the Channel on 6 Jun 1944 for theNormandy landings. They flew armed reconnaissance missions over theCotentin Peninsulauntil the end of the month.

The group moved to theCardonville, France, on 24 Jul 1944 to support the drive of ground forces across France and into Germany.

They attacked gun emplacements, troops, supply dumps, and tanks during theBattle of Saint-Lôin July 1944 and theFalaise Pocketin the Falaise-Argentan area in August 1944. The group moved toLa Vieille Airfield, France, on 15 August 1944.

The group sent planes and pilots to England to provide cover for theOperation Market Gardenairborne assault on Holland in September 1944. The group struckpillboxesand troops early in October 1944 to support theFirst Armyduring theBattle of Aachen, and afterward struck railroads, bridges, viaducts, and tunnels in that area.

The group moved toLonrai, France, 6 September 1944;Roye-Amy Airfieldon 11 September 1944 andFlorennes Air Base, Belgium, 26 September 1944.

ADistinguished Unit Citationwas awarded to the group for a mission in support of ground forces in theHurtgen Forestarea on 2 Dec 1944. Despite bad weather and barrages of antiaircraft and small-arms fire, the group dropped napalm bombs on a heavily defended position in Bergstein, setting fire to the village and inflicting heavy casualties on enemy troops defending the area.

Battle of the Bulge:

The group flew armed reconnaissance during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944-January 1945, attacking warehouses, highways, railroads, motor transports, and other targets. The group converted toNorth American P-51 Mustangaircraft starting in February 1945. The group moved toZwartberg, Belgium, 27 January 1945.

Crossing the Rhine:

The group bombed bridges and docks in the vicinity of Wesel to prepare for the crossing of the Rhine, and patrolled the area as paratroops were dropped on the east bank on 24 March 1945. They supported operations of2nd Armored Divisionin the Ruhr Valley in April 1945.

The group was stationed inGutersloh, Germany, 20 April 1945. Their last mission was a sweep over Dessau and Wittenberg on 4 May 1945.

AfterVictory in Europe Day, the group moved toSandhofen, Germany, 27 June 1945 andFritzlar, Germany, from 6 August until September 1945.