2024 Archives » Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame

The 2024 Honorees: A Summary

RIAHOF — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 20:40:18 +0000

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.

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CW5 Mark De Souza, USA

RIAHOF — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 19:13:24 +0000

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.

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Robert “Bob” P. Douglas

RIAHOF — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 18:58:29 +0000

“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 […]

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VADM Peter Garvin, USN

RIAHOF — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 19:08:18 +0000

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 […]

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Domenic Giarrusso

RIAHOF — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 18:55:47 +0000

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 […]

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SSGT Rene A. Leger, USAAC

RIAHOF — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 19:16:35 +0000

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 […]

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