John Corbisiero

John (Giovanni) Vincent Corbisiero, age 93, beloved husband, father, brother, and Papa passed away on Monday, July 13, 2020, in San Antonio, Texas from heart failure. His life was once described as “a Walter Mitty existence...a play by play of a little boy’s hyperactive imagination or the plot of a cheesy 1940s biopic...one of the greatest living athletes you’ve never heard of.” He had many unique and extraordinary life adventures and superior leadership in both his military and civilian careers.

John was born August 8, 1926 in Boston, Massachusetts to Pasqualina and Bartolomeo Corbisiero, and he was raised as an Italian Catholic. He was married to his beloved wife, Aileen more than 65 years and is survived by her, his siblings Rita (Corbisiero) Petringa and husband Jim; children Teresa Corbisiero, J. Michael Corbisiero and wife Vicki, Marie (Corbisiero) Holt and husband Worthe; grandchildren Worthe Holt and wife Kelly, Tayler Corbisiero, John Holt, Eric Finger, Michael Finger and wife Siam, Sydney Corbisiero; great grandchildren Allison, Jack, Rowe and Eloise Holt. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his siblings Joseph Corbisiero and wife Sally, Amelia (Corbisiero) Gregory and  husband Robert, and Rosa Corbisiero. Both he and Aileen were active members of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in San Antonio.

In 1932, his family moved to Medford, MA. Here John attended Medford High School, lettered in varsity baseball, basketball, football and hockey and graduated in 1944. Following graduation he was offered professional baseball contracts by the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Athletics but decided instead to pursue college. He received an appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy. While waiting for his assignment to the Academy, he attended Notre Dame where he lettered and started as a freshman in varsity football for the #1 ranked Fighting Irish. After his seventh football game at Notre Dame, he reported to the Merchant Marine Academy satellite station, San Mateo, CA.  In April 1945, he was assigned to the S.S. Clovis Victory as Engine Cadet Midshipman, 3rd Class and participated in the invasion of Okinawa. After the war, he attended Middlebury College, where he lettered in football, hockey and baseball for three years and co-captained the 1948 football team. He became the first Middlebury freshman student to receive the coveted Hazeltine-Klevenow Cup award for outstanding ability in scholarship and athletics, and he was elected to Waubanakee, Middlebury’s highest achievement award for men. He left Middlebury his junior year to begin study at MIT. During that year he signed a contract with George Halas, owner of the Chicago Bears, but was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Eventually, he returned to Middlebury College where he completed his degree in Mathematics in 1950.  Prior to his graduation from Middlebury, he signed a professional baseball contract with the Boston Braves playing one season before enlisting in the United States Air Force during the Korean War.

John had a very successful 30 year military career. In September, 1950 the United States Air Force received a name request by the U.S. Olympic Hockey Committee for him to compete in the 1952 Olympic Games. In 1951 he was selected for pilot training. After completing All-Weather School training at Moody AFB, GA, he was assigned as a T-33 Instructor Pilot and F-84G Combat Crew Training Instructor. It was during this time that he met and married Aileen Moffitt from Tampa, KS while she was awaiting attendance for Officer Commissioning School, Lackland AFB, TX. In 1956 he was selected for the Air Force Institute of Technology, Training With Industry program, IBM, Kingston, NY. It was here that his first daughter, Teresa Marie, was born at West point, NY. After graduation as a Computer Systems Engineer he was assigned to Wiesbaden AFB, Germany as a Military Intelligence Analyst. John next served with the 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Toul Rosieres AFB, France as a nuclear weapon delivery strike pilot in the F-86H and F-100D aircraft. His son, John Michael, was born at Toul-Rosieres in 1958. In 1961 he became Senior Project Officer, F-105D, Category I Test Program, Air Proving Ground Center, Eglin AFB, FL. At Eglin Flight Test Operations he performed duty as an F-105D, F-100 and T-33 munitions test pilot and instructor pilot. During this 4 year tour of duty his second daughter, Marie Louise, was born in 1961. In 1965 he transferred to the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, FL., performing duty as F-4C tactical fighter pilot. He was then deployed to Viet Nam and assigned to the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ubon AFB, and Thailand. As the Squadron Operations Officer, he flew F-4C combat reconnaissance and strike missions against North Vietnam and Laos for a total of 106 combat missions earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and 10 Air Medals. Returning to the United States he was assigned as Wing Weapons Officer, 479th Tactical fighter Wing, George AFB. CA. In this assignment he developed weapon delivery techniques, trained F-4D aircrews for combat duty in Vietnam and managed all AIM-7D weapon system firing missions. In 1968, he was selected to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology Graduate School where he received a graduate degree in Systems Analysis/Operations Research and was assigned to the F-15 System Program Office. As Chief, F-15 Deployment Division, he was one of the first to fly the Eagle. Upon his promotion to Colonel he was assigned to the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), Hanscom AFB, MA as Director of all Testing. During this 4 year tour, he received the Legion of Merit.  In 1977, following his work with the AWACS Program he was assigned to the Deputy for Systems, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH where he performed duty as Director, Strategic Simulator Division, Assistant Deputy for Systems and Assistant Deputy for Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare. His superior work on these assignments earned him two additional Oak Leaf clusters to the Legion of Merit.

After retiring from the United States Air Force on 1 August 1980, John worked at Stencel Aero Engineering in Asheville, NC. In 1985, he retired from Tally Industries and began work with ISC Aerospace, ISC Technologies. In 1989, he was honored by induction into the Medford High School Mustang Hall of Fame. In 1990, he retired from the aerospace business to begin a career in real estate with Coldwell Banker. Later, he was an independent contractor with RE/MAX International until 1998 when he formed his own real estate company, Corbisiero Inc. During the years he lived with Aileen in San Antonio and served his community with the San Antonio Leon Valley Rotary Club.  He was a 4th Degree member of the St. Matthews Knights of Columbus, as well as a member of the Order of Alhambra, and a life member of the Air Force Association and the Order of Daedalians. He was also inducted into the Middlebury College Hall of Fame and was nominated to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Papa’s grandchildren will always remember him as a pretty darn good golfer who loved cannolis, spaghetti and pizza. They will remember that he was pretty tough to beat at Mexican Train dominoes, and that he loved his Westerns, the Three Stooges, and Nintendo’s World Wrestling game.

We are blessed to have had you in our lives as the foundation for the values, tenacity and grit of our family.

Arrivederci in cielo

ROSARY

ST THOMAS MOORE

8035 S. Quebec St

Centennial, CO

12:00 PM

THURSDAY, JULY 30

MASS TO FOLLOW

1:00 PM

GRAVESIDE SERVICE

FRIDAY, JULY 31

FT LOGAN NATIONAL CEMETERY

440 W Kenyon Ave

Denver, CO

9:00 AM

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:

DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Charitable Service Trust

PO Box 14301

Cincinnati, OH 45250

(877) 426-2838

Air Force Aid Society

1550 Crystal Dr #809

Arlington, VA 22202

(703) 972-2646