Eugene Donald Gentile

Eugene Donald Gentile was born 20 July 1936 in Lykens, Pennsylvania, raised and cared for by hardworking parents in a small town environment with an older brother and sister as his companions. “Hon” as he was known by at that time, graduated from Lykens High School in 1955 standing out in varsity football and basketball. In February 1956, he volunteered for and entered the United States Air Force attending basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. There he was given the nickname “Geno” and courted his soon to be wife, Charlene Fox.

His first assignment took him to West Palm Beach Air Force Station, Florida as a tactical aircraft maintenance specialist. On 30 May 1958, he married Charlene in San Antonio and moved from West Palm Beach to Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma working as a flight mechanic and mission flight monitor on B-50 aircraft. During that time, Geno and Charlene had three children, Keith, Carol and James. Geno was then assigned to overseas duty in the Republic of Vietnam working on C-124 aircraft. He relocated his family to Lykens to ensure family had support during his absence. Safely returning from combat, in 1964, the family moved again to Wright Patterson Air Force Base Ohio. There, Geno was recognized as an outstanding mechanic and selected for flight engineering duty. In addition, his work was so noteworthy he was hand-picked by the commanding general to be one of his personal flight engineers on the C-118 aircraft. Finally during this tour of duty, his quick reactions saved an aircraft and life when he responded to a flight line mishap single-handedly controlling the fire before emergency responders could arrive.

Leaving Ohio in 1968, Geno moved the family to North Highlands, California and McClellan Air Force Base continuing his career as a flight engineer on C-118 aircraft. Working in the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC), he deployed to Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and Asia accumulating thousands of flight hours. His recounting of aviation events and trips to Midway and Wake Islands in the Pacific were legendary and told several times over.

In 1972 he was assigned to Patrick Air Force Base, Florida and purchased a house in Satellite Beach. During this time Charlene and Geno had a fourth child Steven. In addition, his flight engineering days were coming to an end as the C-118 aircraft were being retired from service, so Geno cross trained to become a First Sergeant. From there and to keep the family stable in Satellite Beach, Geno took two separate remote assignments to Crete and Turkey; finally returning to Patrick, where he retired as a Chief Master Sergeant in January 1985.

After retirement, Geno returned to aviation as a civilian flight engineer working out of Detroit, Michigan flying for salmon fish industry. In 1989 he moved to Miami and worked for Trans Air Link flying DC-6 aircraft moving cargo in Caribbean. In 2000 he returned to Satellite Beach, Florida and fully retired enjoying time with grandkids; boating and fishing; and engaging with friends, colleges and family at the VFW and Patrick Yacht Club.

Eugene Gentile returned to the loving arms of his heavenly Father surrounded by his family on 14 August 2020 after courageous and ferocious fight with vascular disease.

Geno is survived by his former wife, Charlene; his children, Keith, Carol, James and Steven; his brother Samuel “Butt” Gentile and sister Regina “Jean” Raudenbush; eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in his name to the Air Force Sergeant’s Association.