Harold E. Mignola (1950/03/23)
Included on the Watsonville High School Korean War Memorial Plaque is the name of Harold Mignola. While his death occurred three months prior to the beginning of hostilities in Korea, it is felt that 90 days should not diminish the intent of his high school classmates in honoring him.
Harold Edward Mignola was born in Salinas, California on January 24, 1914; however, his formative years and education are believed to have taken place in Watsonville, California. His biological father's name is not available, but his mother later remarried George Wale Jr. who introduced him to the automobile business.
During the late 1930s, Mignola, along with Marty Franich and Stanley Secondo (see World War II honor roll) formed a partnership and acquired a service station and automobile agency on East Lake Avenue in Watsonville. In 1940 Harold Mignola and Virginia Phillips of Watsonville were married and a son, Harold Edward Mignola Jr., was born to them.
In 1940, Harold Mignola entered the Royal Canadian Air Force and was trained as an officer. After commissioning, he served as an instructor at their bomber-gunner station at MacDonald, Manitoba, for two years.
Mignola applied for and received a commission in the US Army Air Corps in June 1942 and was sent to Randolph Field, Texas, for an orientation course. After completing that program, he instructed aviation cadets in interception and pursuit at Moore Field, Texas. Mignola continued to serve as a pilot instructor during 1943 and 1944.
In 1945 Harold Mignola served in the Philippine Islands and at the end of World War II, was assigned to Japan as a major. He chose to remain in the US Air Force and by 1950 had risen to the rank of Lt. Colonel.
Lt. Colonel Mignola commanded the 65th Bomber Squadron of the 43rd Bomb Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base stationed in Tucson, Arizona, in 1950. In his new assignment Mignola flew B50 Bombers similar to the B-29 that had bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The plane he was aboard, as an instructor pilot, was nick-named the Long Ranger and was capable of flying around the world.
An Oakland Tribune article dated July 16, 2005, by Malaika Fraley described the fateful March 23, 1950, day on which Lt. Colonel Mignola was killed.
“The Long Ranger had just taken on 870 gallons of fuel mid-air from a tanker plane and was on its way to simulate a bombing strike on Phoenix at 25,000 feet. According to the accident report, the plane was at 17,000 feet when a gunner reported to the pilot that the No. 3 engine was on fire. Within four seconds, fuel tanks exploded, the right wing dove to the ground, and the plane blew apart. There were 14 people aboard and two members of the crew survived by using their parachutes: a bombardier who was thrown out of the nose section and the co-pilot, who climbed out the window.”
Lt. Colonel Harold E. Mignola's remains were recovered and interred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California.
(USDVA; WRP; June 2, 1942 1:2, March 30, 1943 1:1, March 23, 1950 1:6, Oakland Tribune, July 16, 2005)