2024 Archives » Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame

The 2024 Honorees: A Summary

This year’s group includes a living World War II bomber pilot, a Marine helicopter pilot from Barrington killed in action in Grenada, and four heroes from Vietnam: three living Army helicopter pilots who flew hundreds of hours of combat, plus a deceased pilot from the Navy’s only assault helicopter squadron. The Hall of Fame will also honor the manager of the first scheduled commercial airline service to Hiilsgrove/TF Green Airport, as well as the avid private pilot who founded the Gregg’s Restaurant chain.

November 22, 20242024, NewsAnnouncements, Dinner, Press Releases

CW5 Mark De Souza, USA

Mark is a RI Army National Guard helicopter and fixed wing pilot who has flown almost 10,000 hours for the RI Army National Guard. He has deployed three times to Iraq, once to Kuwait, and once to Colombia; and has flown numerous Army aircraft in 38 countries and territories.

November 23, 20242024, RI National Guard, RIAHOF Inductee, US Army, War on Terror

Robert “Bob” P. Douglas

“Bob” P. Douglas (1930-2023), a Johnston resident for more than 60 years, was born in Melrose, MA. He grew up in Groton MA and South Boston, and developed the flying itch at a very young age. Bob attended the Hillside School for Boys in Marlborough and graduated from Ayer High School in 1948.He joined the […]

November 23, 20242024, Airport, Facilities & Support, Korea

VADM Peter Garvin, USN

Vice Admiral Peter Garvin, US Navy, is President of the National Defense University in Washington, DC. An Annapolis grad, he is a career Naval Aviator who served until August, 2024 as President of the US Naval War College in Newport. “It is an honor to serve my teammates. It is the shared mission, the family […]

November 23, 20242024, Special Recognition Award, US NavyUS Naval War College

Domenic Giarrusso

Domenic Giarrusso has spent his life in aviation. At 101 years old (at the time of this writing), he served as an Army Air Corps flight engineer and mechanic in North Africa and Italy during World War II. After the war, he worked as an aircraft mechanic and supervisor at the Naval Air Rework Facility […]

November 23, 20242024, Airport, Facilities & Support, Special Recognition Award, US Army, WWIIArmy Air Corps, Quonset Point

SSGT Rene A. Leger, USAAC

Leger was probably the first Rhode Islander lost in the European Theater during WWII. Trained as a gunner, he deployed to Palestine. Within two weeks of his arrival he was dead. Staff Sergeant Rene A. Leger was killed on August 9, 1942, when his Palestine-based B-24 went down during a raid against Rommel’s supply line […]

November 23, 20242024, RIAHOF Inductee, US Army, WWIIArmy Air Corps, North Africa American Cemetery Tunisia

CW5 (Ret) Joseph A. Lopes, USA

RI Army National Guard helicopter and fixed wing pilot; during the Vietnam War he flew clandestine CIA missions in Laos with Air America for six years. After civilian postings to Iran and Saudi Arabia, he finished his career as Maintenance Officer for Army Aviation. He accrued more than 11,000 flight hours over his 43 years […]

November 23, 20242024, Commercial Aviation, Military (Other), RI National Guard, RIAHOF Inductee, US Army, VietnamAir America

COL Robert M. Magown, USAF

WWII fighter pilot who flew 161 combat missions in the Pacific, primarily in P-40 Warhawks, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and ten Air Medals. He joined the RI National Guard after the war, and was commander of the 143rd Air Commando Group at the time of his death in 1966. On Monday, March 7, 1966 […]

November 23, 20242024, RI National Guard, RIAHOF Inductee, US Air Force, WWIIDFC, HU-16B Albatross

Lt Col Edward F. Roberts, USAF

Edward Francis Roberts was born in Fall River, MA on January 29, 1924. He earned the Air Medal flying transport planes in the Pacific during WWII. As a member of the Massachusetts National Guard he was activated for Korea. He transferred to the RI Guard in 1956, and at the time of his death in […]

November 23, 20242024, Korea, RI National Guard, RIAHOF Inductee, US Air Force, WWIIHU-16B Albatross

CMSGT (Ret) Adolph Scolavino, USAF

WWII flight engineer and gunner on B-17 and B-24 bombers in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater. Operating from India and China, he flew 56 combat missions totaling more than 400 combat hours. He crewed the first-ever raid deep into China, and the longest mission flown in the war. He later flew on B-29s assessing A-bomb testing. […]

November 23, 20242024, RIAHOF Inductee, US Air Force, WWIIB-17, B-24, B-29, CBI Theater

Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame

Honoring Rhode Island's Rich Aviation History

Category Archives: 2024