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Allessio Charles Joseph

Name:
Charles Joseph  Allessio
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
Unit:
856th Bomber Squadron, 492nd Bomb Group
Date of Death:
1945-03-31
State:
Massachusetts
Cemetery:
Saint Joseph's Cemetery, Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Plot:
Section 12 Lot 367
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments:

Charles Allessio was born on July 18, 1922 and was form Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He served as the Navigator onon B-24H (42-50331) Liberator of the 856th Bomber Squadron, 492nd Bomber Group performing the “Carpetbagger” mission to parachute six OSS (Office of Strategic Operations) operatives from Team Norso II (of the Norwegian Operational Group) as part of Operation Rype into Norway on March 31, 1945.
Operation Rype was a mission to impede the redeployment of enemy forces from Norway to Germany. The OSS was a precursor to the CIA. While enroute to the parachute drop, the plane was forced to turn around due to bad weather. Upon return to Scotland, the plane lost 2 engines and the pilot directed the crew and passengers to bail out. Only the Co-Pilot was able to do so and survived. The rest perished when the plan crashed just south of Kirkwall, Orkney near St. Ola. A memorial remembers the crew and operatives on ““Liberator” Drive in Kirkwall.