Major Patrick Savelli,Usaf Ret.

Major Patrick Anthony Savelli, USAF Retired, age 77, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 25, 2016 at LECOM at Presque Isle with his loving wife at his side.
He was born in Erie on August 6, 1938 the son of the late Patsy and Lena (Gerbi) Savelli.
Pat was a 1956 graduate of Academy High School and was a member of their marching band that marched in the 1956 New Year’s Day Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, CA.
        Pat joined the Air Force after his high school graduation. He took basic training at Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX. From there he went to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi to become a radar maintenance technician and then to Bartlesville Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
       After three years as an airman, Pat was accepted into the Aviation Cadet Program in Harlingen, TX where he earned his Air Force commission as a second lieutenant and a rating as a navigator. He returned to Keesler to study electronic warfare and earned a rating as an Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO). The job of the EWO is through the use of  radar, detection devices, and counter measures, is to keep the plane from being shot out of the sky.
Pat served at McChord AFB, WA, Hill AFB, UT, and Weisbaden AFB, Germany. In 1969, Pat had his first tour of duty in Southeast Asia. He was stationed at Takhli, Thailand with the Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (TEWS) and his plane was the B-66. For heroism in flight, he received The Distinguished Flying Cross.
Pat was then assigned to Westover AFB, MA the Strategic Air Command (SAC) to a B-52 squadron. Once again he was sent to Thailand and then to Guam.
           December 19, 1972 to December 29, 1972 was known as the “Ten Day War”. Wave after wave of B-52s flew into North Vietnam to bomb it to force the North Vietnamese to release the prisoners of war.
North Vietnam was the most highly defended area in the history of aerial warfare. The planes faced MIGs, SAMs, and guns. Pat did his job and kept the plane from being hit. The missions were successful and the POWs were released shortly after the Ten Day War. Again for his heroism, Patrick received his second Distinguished Flying Cross.
Pat is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jetta (Ferraro) Savelli; his three children, Patrick Savelli and his wife Mary and Daniel Savelli, all of Fairborn, OH and Eve Savelli and her fiancé Patrick Watts of Erie. His very dear sisters; Myra Vacanti and Lisa Erdman,  his loving Aunt Glorine and Uncle Ben Pizzo, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Jetta would like to thank the staff at LECOM at Presque Isle, especially those of North Hall for their excellent care of Pat during the eight years of his illness. And a very special thank you to the incredible respiratory therapists. Your kindness, compassion, and skills were so very much appreciated and will always be remembered.
Pat served twenty years on active duty in the Air Force. He loved flying and he loved his country and felt honored to be able to serve it.
Friends are invited to call at the John J. Quinn Funeral Home, West 9th & Liberty St. on Monday, August 1, 2016 from 2-4 & 6-8 PM and are invited to attend Funeral Services there Tuesday at 11:00 AM. Burial will Military Honors will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s RC Church Food Bank, 1617 Walnut St., Erie, PA 16502. Before his illness, Pat was a volunteer there.