Louis J. Ruffino
Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

In September 1963, Technical Sergeant Louis J. Ruffino (S/N 31143793) was serving with the 512th Bomber Squadron, 376th Bomber Group (Heavy) Liberandos, 15th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces. The 376th, composed of the 512th, 513th, 514th and 515th Squadrons, was the first heavy bombardment group to operate in the Middle East Theater. Operating B-24 Liberator bombers from bases in Palestine, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, the Group's missions were initially focused on bombing Axis supply lines between Italy and North Africa; airfields; and port facilities. Later, longer range raids were made against oil refineries; railroad marshalling yards; and ordinance factories in Hungary, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. On the daring 1 August 1943 low-level raid against Romania's Ploesti Oil Fields, the Liberandos were also chosen to lead four other B-24 bombardment groups.

On 3 September 1943, the aircraft on which TSGT Ruffino was a crew member went down and he was declared Missing in Action.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Purple Heart
Air Medal with Award Numeral 2
Army Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army Air Force Aircrew Badge

Memorialization

The name Technical Sergeant Louis J. Ruffino is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Provincia di Roma, Lazio, Italy.