Anthony "Toni" Cvitanovich, US Air Force, Retired

Colonel Anthony “Tony” Cvitanovich, US Air Force, Retired, 93, of D’Iberville died Friday, February 5, 2016. He was born in Biloxi on September 9, 1922. The second son of Dominick and Philmonea Sercovich Cvitanovich of 1143 East Howard Avenue, Biloxi, MS. He attended St. Michael Grade School, Dukate Elementary, and graduated from Biloxi High School in 1940. He attended Millsap’s College for two years and at the outbreak of World War II, entered the US Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program. He graduated in 1944 as a Second Lieutenant Fighter Pilot trained in P40 and P47 Aircraft. He then joined the 325th Fighter Group in Italy and flew 53 combat missions in P51 Mustang over Europe escorting bombers as well as interdiction and strafing missions. He was a Flight Commander and obtained the rank of Captain at the ripe old age of 22. He reverted to inactive reserve after the war and entered the University of Texas in Austin graduating in 1949. Recalled to active duty for the Korean War, he flew 79 combat missions in F51 Mustang Fighter Bomber. He was a Flight Commander and Squadron Operations Officer with the 12th Fighter Bomber Squadron of the 18th Fighter Bomber Squadron in Korea. He then became an F86 Saber Jet Pilot at George Air Force Base in California, Chambley, France and Bitburg, Germany serving as Squadron Operations Officer and 416th Fighter bomber Commander. After several statewide air defense command assignments, where he flew the Mach 2 F101B Voodoo Fighter Jet, he returned to Tactical Air Command at England Air Force Base, Louisiana, where he flew the F100 Super Saber Jet Fighter followed by duty at Hahn Air Base, Germany as Squadron Operations and Staff Operations Officer. In 1967, he was an advisor to the South Vietnamese Air Force followed by duty at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona as an F100 Instructor Pilot and Operations Staff Officer. He was promoted to Colonel in July 1971, and transferred to George Air Force Base, California as Base Commander. He retired in February 1976, and moved to Litchfield Park, Arizona near Luke Air Force Base. At the time of his retirement, he had flown 4,200 hours in eleven different types of aircraft. He was awarded two distinguished flying crosses, six air medals, the bronze star, the air force commendation medal, the army commendation medal and 22 other awards and decorations. He was a member of the Air Force Association, the F86 Pilots Association, the 21st Fighter Bomber Wing Association, the 401st Fighter Bomber Wing Association, the 18th Fighter Wing Association, and the Slavic Benevolent Association of Biloxi. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife of 46 years, Helen F. Malopolski Cvitanovich in 2002. She was a retired Lt. Col. Registered Nurse. After his wife died, he returned to live in Mississippi, living in D’Iberville. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Andrew and Earl. He is survived by his brother, Darrell D. Cvitanovich and his wife, Mary and their children; and his sister, Barbara Cvitanovich Lyons and her husband, Steven and their children. He will be cremated. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Nativity B.V.M. on Thursday, February 11, 2016 at 11:00 a.m., where friends may call one hour prior to the service. He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date with full military honors. The Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, he requested donations in his honor to Nativity B.V.M. Elementary School, where his nieces and nephews attended grade school.