Colonel Amedeo Vincent Mannino

1931 - 2020

January 9, 1931 - November 1, 2019 Amedeo, aged 88, passed away peacefully in Riverside Community Hospital, Riverside, Ca. after suffering a stroke. Amedeo was born in Brooklyn, NY to immigrant parents from Italy, Peter Mannino and Anna Esposito. On their arrival in America they were so happy they kissed the soil and he fell in love with his new country. On February 26, 1990 he married Judith Whitelock who sadly passed away in June 2018. He was a true patriot and joined the U.S. Air Force in February 1951, finally retiring in February 1971 after flying hundreds of missions over France and Germany during the 4 years he lived in France. He also flew missions to Taiwan and Vietnam helping to save many Vietnamese victims. They called him the American Vietnamese Hero. He loved to visit Little Saigon in Westminster, CA. and to visit the American & Vietnamese Memorial Park where he could meet up with old friends. During the Vietnamese war he survived 3 air crashes and became well respected and created lifelong friendships with the men with whom he served. He carried with him the nickname of TAM and the cherished friendships until the day he passed. After serving the country he loved he went on to forge new careers, firstly as a Loan Officer with Bank of America in Corona, CA. then, after moving to Banning, he became Assistant Director of the VA Hospital in Loma Linda, CA. for many years. Following his retirement from the VA he went on to show his talent and hard work in running a successful flower shop on Highland Spring Avenue in Banning. He still longed to achieve more academically so he went to Chapman University to study and in 2009 achieved his long awaited Master's degree in administration creating headlines in the local newspaper stating "Student gets degree 30 years late". He said he felt as if he was walking on a cloud to have achieved something he thought about for 30 years. So proud of his efforts and determination to achieve. He is survived by his best friend Toan V Nguyen in Banning, CA and his remaining family members. Amedeo was larger than life, loved and missed by many. An incredible man who will never die because he is thought of so often. His burial service was held at the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia on Feb. 26, 2020 which was his final wish.