Heroes Spotlight: Ernest D. Carrara

By Guest

The following is the latest installment in an occasional series by Rich Carrara spotlighting the sacrifice and heroism of Canton veterans who were killed in action. The man discussed below was the author’s brother.

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Ernest D. Carrara was born on January 7, 1924, in Canton, Massachusetts. He attended Canton High School and received his diploma posthumously in 2002 under the Operation Recognition Program, honoring veterans whose schooling was interrupted for answering the country’s call to duty.

The son of Dominic and Carmela Carrara, Ernest had five siblings: Eva, Marie, Eleanor, Dorothy and Richard. He entered military service on April 16, 1943, and was trained as a radio operator.

He survived World War II and received two Bronze Stars for landing behind enemy lines at night in Yugoslavia to deliver guns and ammunition to Yugoslavian and Albanian partisans. He also received a Bronze Battle Star for participation in the Po Valley and Apennines campaigns. This was in support of the 10th Mountain Division’s dramatic battle in 1945 for the Riva Ridge near the city of Bologna in Northern Italy.

Upon his discharge in 1945 he enrolled in the aviation school at Wiggins Airway and received a certificate for airplane mechanic. He also obtained his private pilot’s license, which he pursued as a hobby.

Ernest was recalled to duty on March 15, 1951, and arrived in Japan on July 23, 1951.

He was awarded a Bronze Star for a mission directed at Chinese troops during the offensive in Korea and also was honored with the Korean Service Medal and the Aviation Badge.

Sergeant Ernest Carrara died on September 27, 1951, when his C-119 military plane went down on a mountain near Tachikawa, Japan. None of the crewmembers survived the crash.

His body was returned home to Canton on March 3, 1952, and following a funeral Mass at St. John’s Church, he was buried with full military honors.

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