Romeo Giagnoni was born on July 31, 1914, in Cherry, Bureau County, Illinois. He was the son of Ausilio Giagnoni and Domenica Filippini. He was the husband of Bertha Louise Dramstadtr. He registered for the draft and entered military service in October 1940. He served in the 512th Bomber Squadron, 376th Bomber Group, as a Staff Sergeant and Armorer/Gunner of B-24D Liberator #42-40658 during World War II.

On December 28, 1943, the aircraft was lost during combat operations in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II while flying from San Pancrazio Airfield, Italy, on a mission to destroy the marshalling yards at Vicenza. During the attack, the bomber was badly damaged after being engaged by a German Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighter and was ultimately shot down near Monselice in the province of Padua. The aircraft was destroyed in the encounter, resulting in the deaths of four crew members, while the remaining airmen survived the loss.

SSgt Giagnoni was captured by enemy forces, taken prisoner of war, and held at Stalag 17B, Braunau Gneikendorf, Near Krems, Austria. He died on November 29, 1990, and is now buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery, Staunton, Macoupin County, Illinois, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, https://aviation-safety.net/