DECORATED WAR TIME 'FIGLIO DELLA COSTA' MIKE DEMOS - REMEMBERED

IN “LA NOSTRA COSTA” , I WRITE EXTENSIVELY OF WW II AND ITS IMPACT ON THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED ON THE NORTH COAST OF SANTA CRUZ. MANY ‘FIGLI DELLA COSTA’LIKE JOE GEMIGNANI, JOE BROVIA, FRED DIMEO, FERD MORO,LOUIS ALUFFI,ALVIN GREGORY,ALBIE ROSSI AND ATTILIO DOGLIOTTI, SERVED HONORABLY IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DURING THIS WAR TIME PERIOD. AS THE PHOTO ABOVE AND THE REMEMBRANCE BELOW (PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL) INDICATE, MIKE DEMOS WAS A MUCH DECORATED WAR TIME ‘FIGLIO DELLA COSTA’. ADIO, MIKE. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN ACROSS ‘IL ULTIMO PONTE’


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Demos, Michael Daniel "Mike"

Major, U.S.A.F., retired,
Took his last flight from this world ""¦into the wild blue yonder" on Thursday, April 12, 2007.

Born and raised in Davenport, the oldest son of Dennis and Anita Marini Demos, he is survived by his wife of 58 years Mary Jane, and children Marilyn Bill Fravel, Dennis, Michael, Debra and Ann Marie Marty Herman, as well as his sister, Dolly Gregory and brother Alvin Demos.
He will be dearly missed by his grandchildren Derek and Travis, Emery, Carly Rose, Katie and Reyna, Odin and Hawkin and Avery.

Some of Mike's happiest days were those spent in service to our country during World War II. He flew the P-51 Mustang for the US Army/Air Force and was overseas for 11/2 years. Mike entered the service January 15, 1942, at Monterey, California and was sent to Sheppard Field. He then received training at Chanute Field, Niagara Falls, New Orleans, Cadet training at Maxwell Field, Ala., Helena, Ark., and lastly Bush Field, Ga., and Harding Field, La. Overseas he was stationed at Mohanbau Field, Assam Valley, India, Tincoksikan, Burma and Hsiam, China. He participated in the Battle of Burma, Mandalay, Rangoon, the Irrawaddy Valley, the railroad sweeps in the Yellow River Valley in China.

Mike's outfit was the 311th Fighter Group, 530th Fighter Squadron, known as the Yellow Scorpions. He flew 117 combat missions in Burma and China and received 14 decorations, including 7 medals, 4 Oak Leaf Clusters and 3 Battle Stars. The Yellow Scorpion Squadron also received 2 Presidential Citations. Mike retired as a Major after 21 years of service.
Mike's family remembers great 'edge" stories about his flying antics:
: He "buzzed" the Davenport cement plant and was reported but not busted; passed through Davenport and "tipped his wings" to Myrtle Garaventa, Postmistress
: He "buzzed" between the women's dormitory buildings at Louisiana State University, missed by radar
: He acrobatted a forward roll in a P-51, something "impossible and unheard of" and was punished by being sent overseas, which was his heart's desire at that time.

Mike spent his working years selling and distributing seed, agricultural aides fertilizer! and sprinkler systems to the farmers up and down the California Coast between Salinas and Pescadero. He was known for his honesty and integrity and was recently heralded as ""¦the best international seller of hybrid brussel sprout seeds." He was once awarded a national top-salesman award by Food Machinery Corporation, but refused to go to New York to accept — he only abided planes that he could fly!
The Demos family will drive Mike's pickup the new red one with the P-51 etched on the rear window up the Coast and scatter his ashes on the Davenport Coast which he loved so much.
The family extends its appreciation to the staff of Dominican Hospital and the Acute Rehab Unit, and the wonderful staff especially Tina! of the Hospice Caring Project. Memorial gifts may be sent to the Hospice Caring Project.
Fly on, Dad!


Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel on 4/22/2007.