Two Des Moines men recently received their wings as glider pilots and appointments as flight officers upon graduation from South Plains army air field, Lubbock, Tex. They are Frank W. Giannobule, of 2900 S.W. Ninth st., and Edward O’Melia, of Otley, Ia., a graduate of Lincoln High school in Des Moines.
Source: The Des Moines Tribune, Thursday, May 25, 1944 (photo included)
Glider Pilot Frank W. Giannobule, son of Paul Ginnobule, 2900 S.W. Nith st, has been awarded the air medal in Europe. He is a member of the group which spearheaded the Normandy and Holland invasions.
Source: The DesMoines Tribune, January 5, 1945 (photo included)
List Giannobule Missing in Reich
Flight Officer Frank W. Giannobule, 24, is missing in action in Germany, the War Department has informed his wife, Juanita, Slaton, Tex. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Giannobule, 2900 S.W. Ninth st.
Giannobule, a graduate of Lincoln High school, entered the service in August, 1941. He was sent overseas as a glider pilot last July. Giannobule holds the Air Medal.
Source: The DesMoines Tribune, April 14, 1945 (photo included)
Frank Giannobule Killed in Action
Flight Officer Frank W. Giannobule, 24, was killed in action March 24, and has been buried in Holland, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Giannobule, 2900 S.W. Ninth st. have been informed. Official notification from the war department was sent to his widow, Mrs Juanita Giannobule, of Slaton, Tex.
The glider pilot ad been reported missing in April. He entered service as a member of the 34th division in 1941 and had been overseas a year. He was in the group which spearheaded the Normandy and Holland invasions and was warded the Air Medal. Born and reared in Des Moines, he was a graduate of Lincoln High school.
Besides his widow and parents, he is survived by a year old son, Michael, in Texas; two brothers, Vincent and Sam, both in the navy; and two sisters, Mrs. Mary Bryan, in the WAVES and Pauline Giannobule, a WAC, both stationed in Florida.
Source: The DesMoines Tribune, June 12, 1945 (photo included)
Frank William Giannobule was born Sept. 23, 1920 to Paul and Marion Rossi Giannobule. He died Mar. 24, 1945 and is buried in Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.
Flight Officer Giannobule served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 84th Squadron, 437th Troop Carrier Group and was MIA/KIA in Germany while serving his country.
Source: ancestry.com
