96 BS honors retired Col. Corbisiero

  • Published
  • By Mr. Christopher Allen-Shinn
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Historian

Airmen from the 96th Bomb Squadron conducted a funeral flyover in memory of retired Air Force Col. John V. (“Giovanni”) Corbisiero, during his internment July 31, 2020, at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Colo.

 

Corbisiero passed away at 93 years old and had a very eventful life that included playing college football at Notre Dame, Ind. the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), N.Y. and his alma mater, Middlebury College, Vt. where he was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. He served on inactive duty as a midshipman at the USMMA during the final year of World War II before his commissioned service in the Air Force that included the Vietnam War era.

Corbisiero entered active duty Feb. 2, 1953, and served in several roles including: a tactical fighter pilot, acquisition project manager, air operations officer, operations research scientific specialist, and program manager before retiring July 31, 1980, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He piloted several different aircraft including the T-33 Shooting Star, B-52 Stratofortress, F-84G Thunderjet, F-86H Sabre, and the F-105D Thunderchief. His decorations included the Air Force Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, ten Air Medals, and the Legion of Merit with an oak leaf cluster.