Geno DiBetta was born on March 3, 1921. He was the son of Nicolo DiBetta and Anna T. Delprincipe DiBetta. He was married to Beulah Atkinson DiBetta.

Geno served in the 423rd Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomb Group, as a First Lieutenant and Pilot on the B-17 #42-31388 during World War II.

On February 11, 1944, his crew took off from Station 111 airfield in Thurleigh, England, on a mission to Frankfurt, Germany. At 01:30 PM, their plane was hit by flak, attacked by fighters, and due to the possibility that the aircraft ran out of fuel, the crew bailed out of the plane. All members were able to evacuate, except for SSgt Coleman, who was killed during the attack. Their plane crashed into the town of Campremy, France.

Of the survivors, three of them were taken as prisoners, but the remaining evaded German capture, including 1Lt DiBetta. He was one of the 152 allied airmen and soldiers who were helped and hidden in the Freteval Forest camp by the French Resistance to evade German capture. He returned to England on August 15, 1944.

DiBetta achieved his highest rank in the United States Air Force as a Captain. He died on September 28, 2000, at the age of 79, and is now buried in the Mount Carmel Cemetery, Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net