SSGT Tafoya was assigned to the 340th Bomber Group, 488th Bomber Squadron of the Twelfth Air Force. A combat crew member on a B-25J bomber, while SSGT Tafoya had served as a tail gunner on previous missions, on 20MAR44 he served as the Turret Gunner on "8Z", his fateful final mission. When his airplane was shot down, he was on his 61st mission.
After his capture by the German Army, he and two of his fellow crew members were killed by the Gestapo in Bolzano, Italy. His remains were initially buried in Bolzano, possibly relocated to Corsica, in late 1945, after Allied victory in Europe and much later re-interred to his final resting place, in his home State of California, on December 15, 1949.
A Purple Heart was given to his family for his ultimate sacrifice. May you rest in peace, SSGT Tafoya.
After his capture by the German Army, he and two of his fellow crew members were killed by the Gestapo in Bolzano, Italy. His remains were initially buried in Bolzano, possibly relocated to Corsica, in late 1945, after Allied victory in Europe and much later re-interred to his final resting place, in his home State of California, on December 15, 1949.
A Purple Heart was given to his family for his ultimate sacrifice. May you rest in peace, SSGT Tafoya.
SSGT Tafoya was assigned to the 340th Bomber Group, 488th Bomber Squadron of the Twelfth Air Force. A combat crew member on a B-25J bomber, while SSGT Tafoya had served as a tail gunner on previous missions, on 20MAR44 he served as the Turret Gunner on "8Z", his fateful final mission. When his airplane was shot down, he was on his 61st mission.
After his capture by the German Army, he and two of his fellow crew members were killed by the Gestapo in Bolzano, Italy. His remains were initially buried in Bolzano, possibly relocated to Corsica, in late 1945, after Allied victory in Europe and much later re-interred to his final resting place, in his home State of California, on December 15, 1949.
A Purple Heart was given to his family for his ultimate sacrifice. May you rest in peace, SSGT Tafoya.
After his capture by the German Army, he and two of his fellow crew members were killed by the Gestapo in Bolzano, Italy. His remains were initially buried in Bolzano, possibly relocated to Corsica, in late 1945, after Allied victory in Europe and much later re-interred to his final resting place, in his home State of California, on December 15, 1949.
A Purple Heart was given to his family for his ultimate sacrifice. May you rest in peace, SSGT Tafoya.
Inscription
SSGT, 340 AAF BOMB GP WORLD WAR II
