DeAmicis Family Collection

Libero Theodore DeAmicis was born in Henderson, Kentucky, on September 12, 1922. His father, John DeAmicis, was an Italian immigrant who became a U.S. citizen in 1927. Libero T. DeAmicis grew up in Evansville, Indiana, and attended two years of college at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on October 16, 1942, as an aviation cadet and was honorably discharged in June 1944. DeAmicis reenlisted and participated in 45 combat missions in the Asia–Pacific Theater of Operations with the 13th Air Force during WWII. He logged 436 combat hours and was awarded the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Asia–Pacific Ribbon with three Battle Stars, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two Battle Stars, and a Purple Heart. DeAmicis continued his Air Force career after the war and trained at several Air Force bases in courses ranging from nuclear weapons delivery to meteorology. He served as part of the American deterrent forces as a combat-ready aircrew member in Puerto Rico from 1960 to 1964, for which he was awarded the Combat Readiness Medal. Libero T. DeAmicis retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1970 having served for 27 years and having earned the rank of Air Force Reserve Lieutenant Colonel.