S/Sgt. Louis James Aiani Jr. was born on March 22, 1923, in Chicago, Illinois, to Louis J. Aiani and Susan Vacca-Aiani. With his sister and four brothers, he grew up at 2153 North 73rd Court, Elmwood Park, Illinois, and attended John Mills School there. Since the suburb did not have a high school, he chose to attend Proviso Township High School for one year as a member of the Class of 1941. He left school and went to work for the Schwinn Bicycle Company in Chicago. He registered with Selective Service on June 16, 1942, and named his father as his contact person.
Louis was inducted into the United States Army on October 28, 1942, and his Service Number was 16 145 097. He trained at Camp Grant and was assigned to the Army Air Corps. He was sent to the 596th Technical School Squadron, Miami Beach, Florida, on November 4, 1942. Next, December 11th, he went to Army Air Force Ground School at Tyndale Field near Panama City, Florida. From there, on January 24, 1943, he was assigned to the 21st Training Shooting School at Lowery Field, Denver Colorado, and qualified as a waist gunner and assistant radio operator. He was then assigned to the 377th Bomb Squadron at Will Rogers Airfield, Oklahoma. On August 30th, he was with the 380th Bomb Group (Heavy), Trenton Airfield, New Jersey. He was then assigned to the 529th Bomber Squadron (Heavy), 380th Bomb Group, and became a member of the B24J Liberator named “Paper Doll.”
His unit shipped out and he was stationed at Manbulloo Airfield, which was near Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia, from April 28, 1943 until November 6, 1943. The 539th was transferred to Long Airfield, in the Douglas-Daly area, Northern Territory, on November 7th. During his time at the airfield, he took part in eighteen successful missions against the Japanese on Borneo. His plane was on its nineteenth mission when it was lost.
According to Sgt. Thomas G. Randolph, who was in another plane, after being hit by enemy fire, the Paper Doll was having a difficult time keeping up with the other planes in the formation because its Number 3 engine was on fire. He also stated that the plane was losing altitude. The last time he saw the plane it hit the water in flames. Sgt. Daniel L. Brusso, who was in another plane, stated that the Paper Doll’s #3 engine was on fire and smoking and the plane fell behind the formation. Three Rufes (Nakajima A6M2-N Interceptor fighter bombers) attacked the plane and it went down in flames.
Louis’ mother received the following telegram on January 27, 1944.
MRS SUSAN AIANI
2513 NORTH 73RD COURT
ELMWOOD PARK ILLINOIS
THE SECRETARY OF WAR DESIRES ME TO EXPRESS HIS DEEP REGRET THAT YOUR SON STAFF SERGEANT LOUIS J AIANI HAS BEEN REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION SINCE NINETEEN JANUARY IN SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA PERIOD IF FURTHER DETAILS OR OTHER INFORMATION ARE RECEIVED YOU WILL BE PROMPTLY NOTIED PERIOD
ULIO
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
After the war, Master Sergeant Harold H. Van Wormer, who had been a member of the Paper Doll’s crew, wrote a letter to Office of the Quartermaster General, Washington DC. In the letter, he wrote the following:
“All five members of the crew were killed. First Lieutenant Herman J. Dias, Staff Sergeant Louis J. Aiani were killed in the crash. Staff Sergeant Thomas J. O’Donnell was fired upon by the enemy while attempting to escape from the wreck and died instantly. Staff Sergeant William F. Barbee was shot and killed by the enemy six (6) days later as we were floating on a rubber life raft. All five men were buried at sea witnessed by myself and the remaining members of the crew. The crash took place near the Ambon Island in the Banda Sea.”
The Adjutant General’s Office, Washington DC, declared a finding of death had been made on October 24, 1945, stating that S/Sgt. Louis J. Aiani Jr., died on January 19, 1944, when his plane went down at sea. His name was placed on the Walls of the Missing, in the American Military Cemetery, outside of Manila, Philippine Islands.
