Hospital volunteers recognized

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Croskey, William Megary, Dorothy Pinto, Nancy Sullivan, Audrey Vanscoy, Kathleen Willett, Richard Buccheri, Pat Cooke, Joan McLaughlin, Cordelia Whittington, Denise Buccheri, Nancy Cartwright, Granvill Jones, Martha Quinn, Laura Rohe, Christine Bauer, Amelia Bloodsworth, Shirley Deemer, Rob Eckenrode, John Ensor, Jeanne Major, Millie Miller, and Eileen Patterson.

• Six to 10 years: Fran Adelhardt, Carol Applegit, Loretta Kletzli, Charleen Kuhblank, Fred Kuhblank, Jacklyn Mattson, Gerald Niedentohl, Elizabeth Parkin, Joseph Sowinski, Ellen Yannuzzi, Julian Coates, Jr., Dorothy Duvall, Cynthia Roman, Steven Stein, Audrey Wahl, Joan Dempsey, Deborah Staufenberg, Eileen Leonhart, Carole Mankus, Joan Murphy, Karol Salafia, Nick Salafia, Jean Beatty, and Barbara Lischak.

• 11-15 years: Robert Schultz, Ann Hamilton, Bruce Jarvis, Kathleen Tall- man, Mina Engle, Nancy Jarvis, Hanna Myers, Mary Jo Scarbath, Karen Schultz, Theresa Wallace, Susan Wilson, and Tina Preziotti. gically located in the Strait of Sicily just 37 miles east of Tunisia. The island was fortified with more than 100 gun emplacements and numerous pillboxes. More than 10,000 Italian soldiers & a small contingent of Germans defended the island. Also, the island had a military airfield with an underground hangar that housed 80 combat aircraft.

• 16-20 years: Betty Bowers, Eileen Martin, Kathryn Reeves, Kathy Schneider, Jane Wolnik, Nancie Beste, Joyce Brittan, Mary Cetola, MaryAnn Frontera, Joyce Melocik, Sandy Miller, Ellen Morvick, JoAnn Poremski, Beth Riley, Jackie Shockley, Carmen Sowinski, Carolyn Beatty, Jackie Choate, Rita Landis, James Morvick, and Joan Stearn.

• 21-plus years: Lorena Christian (22 years), Kathleen Loetz (22), Jane Bartolomeo (23), Nicholas Bartolomeo (23) and Mary Lou Jones (30). Atlantic General Hospital has been providing quality health care to the residents of Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset and Sussex counties since May 1993.

For more information about Atlantic General Hospital, visit atlanticgeneral.org.

By May 1943, the Axis forces in North Africa were overwhelmed by the advancing American and British armies. With their backs against the sea, more than 230,000 German and Italian soldiers surrendered to the Allies in Tunisia. The island of Pantelleria became the frontline in the Axis defense of Southern Europe.

Just a few months earlier, top U.S. Gen. George C. Marshall suggested to Eisenhower that the Allies seize Pantelleria. Marshall thought its airfield could be used to support the upcoming invasion of Sicily. Also, there was a concern about radar installations on the island. After much deliberation, Ike agreed, and on May 13, 1943, plans were approved for the invasion, codenamed “Operation Corkscrew.”

The “Corkscrew” plan was going to be a “rather simple affair” according to Eisenhower. After consulting with the commander of his air forces, Lt.

Gen. Carl “Tooey” Spaatz, it was decided that an overwhelming ground force would not be used to take the island. Instead, the British 1st Infantry Division, commanded by Walter Clutterbuck, would take the island after a massive bombing campaign from the air, supported by a naval bombardment. Three smaller islands nearby would also be bombarded and seized.

The air operation of “Corkscrew” was overseen by Maj. Gen. James “Jimmy” Doolittle. Just a year earlier, Doolittle led a group of 16 bombers in a surprise air raid on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. Now the Medal of Honor winner was tasked with bombing the island of Pantelleria into submission.

In early May, the U.S. Army Air Force, The Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force began flying sorties against Pantelleria. On the 18th, the “Operation Corkscrew” air offensive officially started when nearly 200 Allied aircraft attacked the island.

Seeing combat for the first time, the 99th Fighter Squadron of the Army Air Force was used in “Corkscrew.” Trained in Tuskegee, Alabama, the newly formed African-

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LUCILLE L. KOCH

Selbyville, Delaware

The family of Lucille L. Koch, 89, would like to announce her passing at home in Selbyville, Delaware, surrounded by loved ones.

Lucille was born on Feb. 9, 1934, in Philadelphia, to the late Alexander and Hilda Lintz. She moved to the Pasadena-Glen Burnie area where she met a man named Frank Koch Jr., whom she would marry on Jan. 12, 1952. Their marriage of 71 years was filled with love, companionship and creating a beautiful family together.

Lucille is survived by her loving husband Frank; her six children Kathleen (Michael) Gillespie, Frank III (Cecelia) Koch, Brenda (Timothy) Burrell, Mark (Cheryl) Koch, Michael (Mary) Koch, and Lucille (Raymond) Turnage; 18 grandchildren; 30 greatgrandchildren; two great-greatgrandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held privately for the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at 322 8th Ave., 16th Floor, NewYork, NY 10001.

Online condolences can be made by visiting melsonfuneralservices.com.

WILMA (PINKY) ELIZABETH BENDER

Ocean Pines

Wilma (Pinky) Elizabeth Bender, 78, of Ocean Pines, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 8, 2023, surrounded by her family, following a long journey with Alzheimer’s. She was the loving wife of Mark, who was her primary caregiver until just prior to her death. Wilma is survived by her four children Ronald Hebb, Jr. (Lisa), Elizabeth Danz, Brien Hebb (Stephanie), and Carrie Hill (Gordon); her 13 grandchildren whom she adored: Joshua, Amanda, Caleb, Zachary, Nicholas, Erika, McKenzie, Benjamin, William, Jason, Alexander, Caitlin and Charlotte; and a brother, James O’Brien. Her sister, Jeanne Martin, preceded her in death. Wilma was born in Savanna, Georgia, on July 10, 1944, to the late Wilmer and Henrietta O’Brien. Her pink cheeks became the inspiration for her lifelong nickname, Pinky. She graduated Eastern High in 1962, started nursing school, and later started her career at Martin Marietta. In the late 1980s, Pinky returned to school to follow her true calling of nursing, graduating in 1992 with her RN and enjoying a successful career as a cardiac care nurse.

Pinky loved traveling with Mark (cruises were her favorite) and devoted herself to her grandchildren who lovingly called her Mommom.

Services will be held Saturday, June 24, at the Community Church of Ocean

World War Ii

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American unit flew P-40 Warhawk fighters in the battle.

By late May, much of the island’s defenses were damaged by the everintensifying bombing campaign. The airfield, port, coastal batteries & gun emplacements were continuously targeted by Doolittle’s air group.

Heavy bombers were used, starting on June 1, with an attack by British Wellingtons and American B17s. Every day the number of attacks increased against the island. On June 6, there were more than 200 sorties by the Allied air forces.

Round-the-clock bombing began on June 7, with 600 tons of bombs dropped on Pantelleria. Also that week, the Royal Navy shelled the island’s harbor. The next day, Allied naval forces began a full scale bombardment of the harbor and coastal defenses. Allied bombers dropped 700 tons of bombs on the island on June 8, and on the 9th more than 800 tons were dropped.

Sicilian-based Axis fighters began to harass the Allied air assault on Pantelleria, but had little impact on their progress. Nearly 60 Italian and German fighters were shot down during the air battle over the island.

$1,445.

Pines. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m., followed by a service of remembrance at 11:30. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Pinky’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association.

During the intense bombardment, surrender leaflets were dropped. The Axis defenders hunkered down and ignored the Allied demand. On June 10, waves of Allied bombers took off from bases in Tunisia and headed over the Mediterranean to Pantelleria.

More than 1,760 sorties were flown that day, dropping 1,571 tons of bombs on the island’s defenses. During a three-hour lull in the bombardment, the Allies called for the Axis troops to surrender. Again, the call was ignored.

On the night of June 10-11, Gen. Clutterbuck’s 1st Infantry Division set out to capture Pantelleria. As the assault force headed toward the island, American B-17s pounded the island one more time.

Allied airplanes spotted a white cross on the island’s airfield just as the first British troops landed on the beach. The landing force commander was able to contact the island’s military commander, Italian Adm. Gino Pavesi. With the British forces swarming ashore, Adm. Pavesi surrendered the island to the Allies.

The intense bombing campaign devastated the island. The harbor was damaged, the town destroyed, roads badly damaged and the airfield was cratered. The underground hanger took several direct hits, destroying or damaging all but two of the island’s airplanes.

According to US Air Force historian Herman Wouk, “The surrender of the Italian-held islands furnished a spectacular illustration of the intense and violent force that the Allies could bring to bear upon the enemy. The reduction of the islands furnished the first proof of the power of such bombardments to induce surrender.”

The capture of Pantelleria allowed it to be used as a springboard into Sicily and the Italian mainland. Later writing in his memoirs, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill stated that the invasion was so successful, the only British casualty was a man bitten by a mule.

Next week: Jean Moulin Arrested