https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56307464/benjamin-cirelli

Benjamin served as a Technician Third Grade, Signal Corps, U.S. Army during World War II.

He resided in Bronx County, New York prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army on March 4, 1944 at Camp Upton, Yaphank, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in printing and publishing and also as Single, without dependents.

Benjamin was a passenger on C-54E #44-9078 traveling from Cairo, Egypt on a flight to Rome, Italy.

C-54E #44-9078, which was part of the 1304th Base Unit, took off with a crew of 8 and 30 passengers from Payne Field, Cairo, Egypt on a personnel transport mission to Rome, Italy. The pilot discovered a fire under his seat & tried to extinguish it however the cockpit became so full of fumes and smoke that they had to abandon ship. They crashed in the Gulf of Salerno off the coast of Italy after World War II had ended.

Eight of those on the flight were able to bail-out and survived. The remains of Seven others were found. The rest were not recovered.

Benjamin was declared "Missing" in the "Line Of Duty" in this crash.

Service # 42076888

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**Crew that perished on C-54E #44-9078: **(MACR 16085) 1 June 1946

Crew that survived:

CO-PILOT 1st LT Robert Keyes 0-820032
RADIO OPERATOR SSGT Stanley E Moore 11024394
ENGINEER MSGT Edward L Ignotis 11040785
Flight Traffic Clerk PFC Ralph H Parker 31438965

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Passengers that perished on C-54E #44-9078:

Cirelli, Benjamin ~ Tech/3, NY 42076888
Copher, William A, Jr ~ Tech/4, TX 38549942
Cornett, Warren G ~ Maj, CO 0-567751
Hookaylo, Morton A ~ S/Sgt, NJ 42106432
Isbell, Benjamin B ~ 1st Lt, TN 0-552490
Keefe, William F ~ Maj, MA 0-920810
Kostolansky, Joseph L ~ T/Sgt, PA 33810153
Laraux, Arthur ~ S/Sgt, AK 39951417
Levinsky, Jacob C ~ CWO, NJ W-2123308
Lindblom, Donald O, Jr ~ 1st Lt, MN 0-874835
Luna, Cipriano V ~ Tech/4, TX 38678603
Lytle, Joseph T ~ Capt, PA O1051267
Monahan, William T ~ Civilian Pan American Airlines https://www.fold3.com/page/653611311/william-t-monahan
O'Gara, Martin J ~ Capt, Chaplain, DC 0-520710
Palmer, William M, II ~ 1st Lt, DE 0-1593738
Paul, Louis F ~ Tech/3, AK 39950510
Protopappas, Charles D ~ T/Sgt, UT 39932630
Rhodes, Charles L ~ Civilian Pan American Airlines Fold3
Reznik, Louis A ~ WTC, Navy 2504184
Schweitzer, George F ~ S/Sgt, NY 42052899
Simpkins, Troy C ~ Tech/5, MS 34936865
Slaven, Victor J ~ T/Sgt, NC 44018305
Stanger, John D ~ S/Sgt, IA 37750645
Stovall, Cary O ~ 1st Lt, TN 0-4062790
Wagner, William H ~ 1st Lt, IL 0-869313
Wheeler, Cody H ~ 1st Lt, TX 0-1596765

Passengers that Survived

Bio, Crew Report, & Passenger Listing by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett

Benjamin Cirelli