ST. JOHNSVILLE – Mr. Armand Mancini, a lifelong resident of St. Johnsville, NY, passed away peacefully surrounded by those he loved so dearly on April 14, 2016. He recently celebrated his 94th birthday, a life which was truly a blessing to all of us. He was born on March 19, 1922 in St. Johnsville, NY, a son of the late Frank and Louise (Fiorini) Mancini. He was a graduate of St. Johnsville High School. His marriage, a blessed union of 70 years, took place on August 25, 1945 at St. Patrick’s Church in St. Johnsville to the former Margaret Bazanski, a relationship hallmarked with true love. On July 15, 1941 Armand Mancini enlisted with The United States Army/Air Corps. His service commitment landed him overseas, particularly in the South Pacific, participating in the Battle over Rabaul, New Britain. It is during this time that the Silver Star decoration was awarded as a result of a bombing raid on Rabaul harbor. The presentation was held at Rome army air field. A corporal at the time of the mission on which his gallantry earned him the award, he went on to receive an honorable medical discharge as a result of the wounds he suffered. Corporal Mancini’s role was that of Ball Turret Gunner on a B-17, which was bombing the Japanese installations at Rabaul on January 5, 1943. A burst of flak hit the plane, and wounded him in five places. In spite of agonizing pain, and although his own gun was shattered by the explosion which wounded him, Corporal Mancini took over another unmanned gun and fought off an attacking Zero which fled before it could get close enough to do any damage to the B-17. On the return to its home base, the American plane was forced down at sea by motor trouble, and the crew was cared for by friendly natives along the coast to which they were able to make their way, later being rescued by the British Royal Air Force. Corporal Mancini was hospitalized in Brisbane, Australia, and later in San Francisco, before receiving his medical discharge. For his entire lifetime, he carried some of the flak in his body, surgeons hesitant to remove it. The award to Mr. Mancini at Rome army air field was made by Colonel Ray S. Miller, base commander, before the entire listed personnel of the field, at formal retreat ceremonies. Armand Mancini has subsequently been honored with numerous awards and citations, inclusive to a New York State Liberty Medal to World War II presented by then Lieutenant Governor Mary Donohue as well as Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Armand worked for many years with Chicago Pneumatic in Utica as a Milling Machine Operator. He was of the Catholic faith, and was a member of the Morris J. Edwards American Legion Post of St. Johnsville and the Fort Plain VFW. Armand was an outdoorsman at heart. He loved to garden (he was excellent at this), and also hunting and fishing. The largest part of Armand’s life was his family, he will be forever remembered, honored and missed. He is survived by his beloved wife Margaret, his devoted daughters and sons-in-law, Carol Burkhart and her husband John of St. Johnsville and Joann Scherer and her husband Kenneth of St. Johnsville, his brother, who in 2014 he dually and ever so proudly received World War II Hero proclamations from Senator Cecilia Tkaczyk), Leo Mancini of St. Johnsville, his cherished grandchildren, Lisa Groff and her husband Tom, Rebecca Jenkins and her husband Lyle, Kenneth Scherer and his wife Jessica, Margaret Nightingale and her husband Eric, and great-grandchildren, Jacob, Elizabeth, MacKenzie, Callyn, Kerrigan, Armand “Manny,” Melissa, Alex, Danny, Ella, Clara, Benjamin, and Phoebe, his nephews, Michael Mancini and his wife Martha and Gregory Mancini, several cousins and many very special friends. He was predeceased by his sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Peter Mandra and a sister-in-law, Dora Mancini. Family and friends are invited to attend calling hours at The Enea Family Funeral Home, St. Johnsville on Thursday April 21st from 4 until 7 PM. Funeral services will be held on Thursday April 21, 2016 at 7:00 PM at The Enea Family Funeral Home, 9 Center Street in St. Johnsville with Deacon Joseph DeLorenzo officiating. The funeral home service will include full military rites accorded by the fellow members of the St. Johnsville American Legion. All services will be held Thursday at the funeral home. The family burial plot is in St. Johnsville Cemetery. The family would like to thank SAVAC for their attentive and valiant efforts, as well as the medical staff of the St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica, whose care filled efforts made Armand’s unexpected passing much more comforting at this difficult time. It is the wish of the family that relatives and friends omit floral offerings or any form of donations. They kindly would rather ask of you to please live your life according to values that help others; as a gift to someone else. His funeral arrangements have been established with The Enea Family Funeral Home, 9 Center Street in St. Johnsville, NY. Funeral Directors Harry J. & Kevin E. Enea (518) 568-2300. To leave an online note of sympathy, please visit www.eneafamily.com on the Internet. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. ~ James 3:17-18.