Michael Joseph Ingelido (November 20, 1916 – April 28, 2015) was an American Air Force major general who was commander of the Fourteenth Aerospace Force, (Air Defense Command), Ent Air Force Base, Colorado.
Early life
Ingelido was born in 1916 in
Meriden, Connecticut
Meriden is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located halfway between the regional cities of New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. In 2020, the population of the city was 60,850.Southington. He graduated from the Teachers College of Connecticut (now Central Connecticut State University) in 1937 with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. He performed graduate work at Duke and Yale universities and then taught school for three years in Connecticut. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet in February 1941, and following his graduation from pilot training, was commissioned a second lieutenant in September 1941.
World War II
During World War II, Ingelido flew 195 combat missions in the
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) was a Theater of Operations responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the European theatre of World War II, from 1942 to 1945. It commanded Army Ground For ...
in British Spitfires and U.S. P-39 and P-47 fighter aircraft. From June 1942 to June 1945, while commanding the
2nd
A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI).
Second, Seconds or 2nd may also refer to:
Mathematics
* 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'')
* Second of arc, an angular measurement unit ...
and
412th Fighter Squadron 41 may refer to:
* 41 (number)
* one of the years 41 BC, AD 41, 1941, 2041
Art and entertainment
* 41 (film), ''41'' (film), a 2007 documentary about Nicholas O'Neill, the youngest victim of the Station nightclub fire
* ''41'', a 2012 film by Glen ...
s and the
373rd Fighter Group
The 373rd Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with First Air Force stationed at Mitchel Field, New York. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.
During World War II the group was assigned to Nin ...
, he destroyed 22 German aircraft: 12 in the air and 10 on the ground.
Shortly after the Allied invasion in June 1944, he led his group in three dive-bombing attacks on German fortifications at Brest, France. After leading the first squadron of P-47 Thunderbolts in the initial attack, Ingelido, his aircraft damaged, stayed in the area to lead the dive-bombing attacks of two other squadrons when they were unable to locate the primary target through the smoking ruins. He was later awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
*Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
*Distinguished Service Cross (U ...
. His citation is below:
Cold War
Following the end of World War II, he commanded the
86th Fighter Group
Area codes 084 and 086 are Nigerian telephone area codes serving the cities of Port Harcourt and Ahoada in Rivers State. They fall under the Southeast Zone in the National Numbering Plan (NNP) restructured in 2003.
When in Port Harcourt or Ahoa ...
and the 70th Fighter Wing in Germany. He returned to the United States in 1949 for assignment with the Weapons Systems Evaluation Group in Washington, D.C.
In 1951 he was assigned to the Air Force Cambridge Research Center as commander, 6520th Test Wing, later becoming vice commander of the center. He then attended the Air War College at
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
, Alabama, graduating in 1955. From 1955 to 1957 he was director of operations for Far East Air Forces in Tokyo, Japan. When that headquarters was redesignated Pacific Air Forces, and moved to Hawaii in 1957, he remained with PACAF as deputy assistant chief of staff for operations.
After returning to the United States in July 1959 he attended the
National War College
The National War College (NWC) of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active.
History
The National War Colle ...
in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1960. He was assigned to the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1960 and served as secretary of the OJCS until August 1964 when he became inspector general of the Air Defense Command. Ingelido became vice commander, Thirteenth Air Force (PACAF), in January 1966 and returned to Aerospace Defense Command as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans in November 1967. He assumed command of the Fourteenth Aerospace Force at Ent Air Force Base in August 1969.
Post-retirement
Ingelido retired as a brigadier general on September 1, 1972. If he hadn't retired then, he could have been promoted to lieutenant general. He resided in
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
until his death. In 2012 he celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary with his wife, Elinor Affinto Ingelido. He died at his home there after a stroke, on April 28, 2015, at the age of 98.
His wife, Elanor Ingelido, lived until February 18, 2016, almost a year more, to the age of 99. Her cause of death is unknown.
Awards and decorations
Ingelido's military decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with oak leaf cluster,
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 20 oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Order of the British Empire, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm and Belgian Order of Leopold.