Tony L. Pompa was born on Jan. 17, 1924, in Mexico to Juan and Maria Jesus Pompa. Juan and Maria were both born in Guanajuato, Mexico. The family moved to Silvis, Ill., in 1927. Juan was a fire knocker for the Rock Island Line for 37 years. The young Pompa had two sisters, Clara and Aurora, and one brother, Frank.

Pompa attended St. Mary’s parochial school in East Moline. He married Delores Thesenvitz in Rock, Minn., on Dec. 12, 1942, and they had two children, Antonio and Sharron Ann.

When World War II began, Pompa was fired from his job at the Rock Island Arsenal because he wasn’t a citizen. He falsified his name and joined the U.S. Army Air Forces in hopes of becoming an American citizen. He received his early training at Scott Field in Illinois, now known as Scott Air Force Base.

Pompa had only been overseas for one month when, on Jan. 31, 1944, his B-24 Liberator, the “Lurchin Urchin,” was hit by enemy fire over northern Italy. His crew was on a bombing mission when their bomber was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire over the Aviano Airdome. Col. Darr Alkire, piloting the plane, parachuted to safety, along with eight other members of the crew—but not Pompa.

Three surviving crew members later testified that Pompa’s parachute opened inside the plane and became entangled in control cables, at the back of the bottom hatch. He was last seen helping the waist gunner open the escape hatch. Pompa was lying in the tail of the plane directly behind the escape hatch. He didn’t have time to bail out.

On March 1, 1944, Pompa’s parents received a telegram from the War Department with news that Tony had been missing since Jan. 31. Pompa had written home on January 8 saying he had been on numerous bombing missions over Italy but was looking forward to a furlough home.

In January 1945, Pompa was still listed as missing in action. In April 1945, over one year after his parents received word he was missing, Pompa’s wife, Delores, received word from the War Department that her husband was now presumed dead.

Pompa’s body was eventually recovered and returned home in March 1949. He now rests in Rock Island National Cemetery.
We honor his service.