Dominick, was always interested in building and flying airplanes. His interests had been sparked by the King comic strip ‘Gasoline Alley’. He was very proud to have been born a first-generation Italian in Brooklyn, NY to his parents Anthony & Grace Pappagallo. On May 6, 1937, at the young age of 10, Dominick watched the German airship, the Hindenburg fly over Brooklyn on the very same day that it exploded after landing in Manchester, NJ. As a retiree, Dom would later join the ‘East Coast Indoor Modelers’, ECIM remote-control club flying in the very same hangar that had housed the Hindenburg.
When he was just 17, rather than being drafted into the Army, along with his father’s consent, he chose the United States Navy, and was assigned to the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, the first in Navy named after a President, which achieved several Historical Achievements. It was at the time the largest aircraft carrier in the world, carry eighty-planes, where Dom was operating in the Mediterranean Sea as part of the United States Sixth Fleet and experienced his very first journey out of Brooklyn. He traveled to numerous ports such as Cuba, South America, and crossed the equator. In July 1946, headlines of the day had featured the USS FDR, CV42 sailing under the Brooklyn Bridge. Upon docking, Dom would receive his high school diploma with his mother and President Harry Truman on board. Following his time in the US Navy, Dominick attended the Manhattan School of Aviation. His shop-crafted wing, signed by all his classmates, was donated to the Lakewood Historical Museum. Dom co-owned a P26 World War 2 trainer, amongst many others.
He was most proud of his family, and his lifelong career in aviation where he began as an airplane mechanic. He worked his way up, from a lead ground mechanic, to a commercial airline pilot, in an amazing way; his maiden commercial voyage to Saudi Arabia, included befriending the first Americanized Saudi, discovering oil and gas fields, and simultaneously logging his first commercial pilot hours. During his lifelong global adventures, Dom enjoyed regional food, drink, and culture that he enjoyed sharing with his family. His wife and children marveled over items brought home from their father’s many trips such as fresh sourdough bread from San Francisco, wines and fondue from Spain and Portugal, escargot from France, intricate clocks from Germany, and tribal masks from Haiti.
At 60 years of age, Dominick retired as a Captain of American Airlines. He kept in touch with his fellow retired American Airlines pilots as a member of The Grey Eagles. His planes and many of his fellow pilots’ were flown at annual air shows, including those at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Red Hook, NY. Dom continued his passion for flying, and building planes, as a member of the ‘ECIM’ Remote Control Club.
In June 2018, Dom was invited to participate on an ‘Honor Flight’, a nation-wide network dedicated to honoring veterans for their service and sacrifice by visiting memorials to Washington D.C.
He was predeceased by his loving wife Carmen Lydia in 1989. He is survived by his son Anthony and significant other Susan, daughter Carole and companion Stephen, daughter Shirley (Warren), grandsons Ryan (Elizabeth), Mark (Carolyn), Kevin (Anna), Jeffrey Dominick, Great-Grandsons Alex and Kyle, brother Anthony (Rosemary) and sister Mary, as well as many nieces and nephews. Dominick is also survived by his significant other, Barbara with whom he enjoyed travel, the beach, and socializing with friends.
Dom excelled at anything he set his mind to accomplish. Despite his failing health, he continued to prepare meals and creative happy hour beverages for family and friends. Dom’s fun-loving nature and kindness influenced all who were fortunate to know him.
Donations to the charities that were most special to Dominick:
Grounded No More https://groundednomoreveteranflightlift.com/
St. Joseph’s Food Pantry (732)-349-0018
Calvary Chapel 150 E. Butler Ave., Chalfont, PA 18914
The Church of Amazing Grace 497 Springfield Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901
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