Born in Massachusetts in 1919, Ralph S. Lucardi was a graduate from the American International College in Springfield when he signed up as an Aviation Cadet. After completing his training, he joined up with the 64th Fighter Squadron, part of the 57th Fighter Group under the 12th Air Force. Previously heavily engaged in North Africa in support of action at El Alamein and the pursuit of Rommel, the 64th had worked its way up from Africa to Sicily and to Corsica and Mainland Italy flying P-40s and P-47s against the Axis. The 64th was in Corsica when Lucardi joined them, running attack missions into Italy as part of Operation Strangle in an attempt to cut off the German Gustav Line from supply. While not successful in starving out the Germans, they greatly impacted rail mobility of supplies and tactical mobility of German forces, complicating their defense of Central Italy. Lucardi himself few 111 missions with the unit, including leading an air raid on an enemy aerodrome where he destroyed 14 aircraft on the ground and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. Rotating back to the States to help run the Fighter Gunnery School in Las Vegas, he was released from service in December of 1945. In between the end of WWII and the start of the Korean War, he earned a master's degree in physical chemistry and went to work as a research chemist. Returning to service during Korea, he would train in biological warfare, serve at the Pentagon, and participate in the 425L Program of the Air Force Research and Development Command, which was responsible for designing, developing, testing and constructing the hardware of the NORAD Combat Operations Center in Cheyenne Mountain. He would retire at the rank of Colonel in 1972. A number of medals and insignias are in the group, along with Lucardi's dog tags and a set of four vintage photos featuring the 64th Fighter Squadron, Lucardi himself and Lucardi's P-47 named "Jane II". A 5 3/8 inch diameter leather patch features the 64th emblem, a black scorpion over a pyramid, and a finely bullion embroidered cloth patch bears the logo and motto of the 57th Fighter grips. A pair of Army Air Force patches and a "winged propeller" patch are present, with a set of cardboard-on-leather 2nd Lieutenant's bars, three metal 1st Lieutenant's bars, 3 sets of pilot wings (two bullion, one unmarked silver), and a 12th Air Force patch. Full sized medals include the Legion of Merit, Air Medal, World War II Medal, American Campaign Medal and European, African and Middle Eastern Campaign, miniature medals for the Distinguished Service Cross, Air Medal (with 3 oak leaves), American Campaign, European, African and Middle Eastern Campaign, World War II and Armed Forces Reserve medals. A number of ribbons are also included, among them 4 Distinguished Unit Citations (two with 2 oak leaves, two with 3 oak leaves). Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection

Very good overall. Some of the medals show folding and creasing of the ribbons, one of the leather-backed 2nd Lieutenant bars has come apart, and some staining is present on the Army Air Force patches. The vintage photos show some creasing and curling but remain good overall. The leather patch shows some staining along the edge, with one hole in the top quadrant.