KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Alho Manor
Antonio L. Alho, Sergeant, USAF, 1946-1969
Sgt. Antonio L. Alho was born on October 25, 1946 in Westerly, Rhode Island. Growing up, Alho was an active member of his high school’s Portuguese Club and also participated in the Boy Scouts. Some of his hobbies included traveling, collecting rocks and fossils, and playing with Ham Radios. Upon graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on June 15, 1966 in New Haven, Connecticut.
Alho was assigned to Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado, and was trained as a weapons mechanic upon graduation from basic military training. After he completed technical training, Alho was assigned to McClellan Air Force Base, California as his first duty station.
On August 18, 1968, Alho was deployed to Nha Trang Air Base with the 20th Special Operations Squadron in support of the Vietnam War. He served as a helicopter aerial gunner while deployed there. While performing his duties on deployment, Alho received much praise for his role as an aerial gunner while taking heavy fire on various hazardous missions.
While conducting a mission in Duc My, Vietnam, Alho was shot down in a UH-1 helicopter by heavy enemy fire. Alho officially passed away in the line of duty on March 26, 1969. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and Purple Heart for his service in the face of hazardous challenges.
Today, Alho Manor is used as a facility for the Marine Corps Detachment on Keesler Air Force Base. The facility houses their detachment headquarters.