Alfred ” Al” Taddeo, last surviving original Blue Angels team member, passed away Aug. 16 at a care facility in Newport Coast, Calif. at the age of 94 . Taddeo was born in Portland, Ore. from Italian immigrants in June 1919 and grew up there. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1942 and went through flight training and received his wings at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas.According to the Blue Angels Facebook page, Taddeo was the last surviving member of the first Blue Angels squadron. He flew the F8F Bearcat on the team from 1946 to 1947.”Al was a great role model, often sought out by pilots and Blue Angel team members to talk about Blues’ history and what it is like to fly maneuvers in combat,” according to Facebook post announcing his passing.This WWII hero shot down three Japanese airplanes while aboard the USS Enterprise. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and retired as a Commander in 1963.
We came across this great video where Al is being interviewed and talks about the “Blues” and the Hellcat. R.I.P. Al.
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
Wow, that was amazing. I cannot imagine what that 90 year old pilot felt when sat in the cockpit of that plane. You could see the memories flooding back just by the look on his face. I am sorry to hear of his passing.
Thanks for sharing the video, nice to see that people appreciate what our Military has done for this country, and the people who have served passed and present, THANK YOU very much!!! Some of us are proud to be Americans to this day and will continue.