Pisa, San Giusto airfield, Italy, Spring 1945: Brazilian Air Force’s 1° Ten. Av. (1st Lt) Othon Corrêa Neto, nickname “Serião”, in the cockpit of his aircraft, the Republic P-47D-25-RE Thunderbolt, s/n 42-26766, Code B4 (aircraft number 4 of the Esquadrilha Amarela/Flight Yellow, aircraft code B), all finish olive drab. Othon Corrêa Neto, born on 18 February 1921, was one of the 48 pilots which served in the 1° Grupo de Aviação de Caça or 1° GAvCa (1st Fighter Group) of the Força Aérea Brasileira (Brazilian Air Force) during the Italian Campaign from late October 1944 to early May 1945. On 26 March 1945, during his 58th war mission, a rocket attack on anti-aircraft positions on Casarsa bridge, West of Udine, North-East Italy, Corrêa Neto was hit by the AA fire, bailed out successfully and was taken prisoner becoming one of the five Brazilian pilots POW (other three bailed out over hostile territory but escaped to capture thanks the help of Italian partisans or local populace). He returned to the squadron 7 days after the end of war and among many awards, he received US DFC and Air Medal and British DFC. Othon Corrêa Neto, which leaved the Brazilian Air Force with the rank of Brigadier General, passed away on 7 April 2008, aged 87 years. Victor Sierra

A pilot you greeting

"Senta a pua!”: motto and war cry (in substance: launch yourself at the enemy with determination, glance and will annihilate him) of the 1° Grupo de Aviação de Caça or 1° GAvCa (1st Fighter Group) of the Força Aérea Brasileira (Brazilian Air Force) in Italy. The motto is enclosed into the emblem of the Grupo which, equipped with Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, fought in Italy integrated in the USAAF’s 350th Fighter Group and based first at Tarquinia and, afterwards, at Pisa. The young pilot, born at Rio de Janeiro on 7 June 1924, is Roberto Tormim Costa, arrived at Pisa, San Giusto Airfield, with the rank of Aspirante Aviador (Ensign) on 25 December 1944 as pilot replacement of the 1o GavCa and assigned to Esquadrilha Verde (Green Flight) under the command of Capitão (Captain) Newton Lagares Silva. During its first mission, 4 January 1945, Roberto Tormim Costa placed his bombs on target and destroyed two German machine gun fire mounted over two trucks. The last mission of Tormim Costa was on 2 May 1945 and the pilot ended the war with 65 war missions. On 21 May 1945 Roberto Tormim Costa was promoted to the rank of 2o Ten. (2nd Lt.). Returned to Brazil aboard of an US Navy ship on 18 July 1945, Roberto Tormim Costa was assigned to Santa Cruz airbase (Rio de Janeiro) as a flight instructor, but on 29 April 1946, while doing maneuvers training using an AT-6D Texan collided with his wingman, a cadet, and was killed. Victor Sierra

"Senta a pua!”

Brazilian M4 Sherman tanks and their crews, Italian front, date unknown. Original color.