Michael Nicholas Cappiello

Michael Nicholas Cappiello, age 84, of Oscoda, Michigan, peacefully passed away on Thursday, February 14th, 2019 in Centerville, Ohio, surrounded by his loved ones.

Michael was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on August 10th, 1934 to Nicholas and Mary (nee Seriano) Cappiello.

Michael was a loving son, brother, uncle, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. He loved singing and had a wonderful voice. He never met a stranger and was our “social butterfly”. Michael was an avid fisherman and hunter. He also loved reading, gardening, maintaining his fruit trees, repairing watches and clocks, as well as small engine repairs. He loved to tinker around and could fix anything.

Michael was affectionately known as “Cap” while he honorably served his country in the United States Air Force from 1953 to 1975. Michael was a Korean War Veteran and was part of the “Kyushu Gypsies” with the C-47s Troop Carrier aircraft known as the “Gooney Birds”. He was transported by the USS Buckner to Yokahama, Japan for his first assignment to Ashiya Air Base, Japan, as a C-47 Jet Engine Mechanic and his group would make several trips into Korea from 1954 to 1956, thus being called the “Kyushu Gypsies”.

When his tour at Ashiya was complete, Michael came back home to the United States in 1956. He was reassigned to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor, Maine, from 1956 to 1963, as a KC-97 Tanker Crew Chief. He worked on, inspected, and flew with KC-97G tankers while they were refueling the B-52G bombers. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Michael and his crew were on alert readiness, slept on the aircraft, with a full gas tank for the B-52s awaiting Presidential Orders.

In January 1963, Michael completed Missile Mechanic School at Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois. His job was to learn how to maintain the ICBM-Minuteman Missiles. Upon completion, he was assigned to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, from 1963 to 1967 and earned his Missile Badge. He was then reassigned to Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, from 1967 to 1969 to once again work with the B-52 bombers and tankers to keep them flying.

During the Vietnam War, Michael was sent over to Da Nang, Vietnam, and U-Tapao, Thailand, from 1969 to 1970. He was again assigned as a mechanic on the C-47s ‘Puff the Magic Dragon.’ and assisted in B-52 missions. Michael went from Thailand to Bentwaters Royal Air Force Base in England from 1970 to 1974. He switched career fields while at Bentwaters and became the Superintendent for Heavy Equipment.

Michael returned to the United States to K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan, from 1974 to 1975 with the 410th Bomb Wing working again with the B-52s and KC-97s. He retired from the Air Force in 1975 and moved back to Oscoda, Michigan.

Michael couldn’t stay away from serving our nation as he came out of military retirement to be a federal civil servant from 1982 to 1993 as an Industrial Engineer at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan. He was one of the last employees on Wurtsmith before the base was closed and he officially retired.

Michael is preceded in death by his wife Ethel Arlene (nee Bragdon) Cappiello from Belfast, Maine, his parents Nicholas and Mary (nee Seriano) Cappiello and two (2) sisters (Josephine and Phyllis Cappiello) from Hartford, Connecticut.

Michael is survived by five (5) children: Lynn (William) Hopkins Sr. in Ohio; Vickie (Alan) Wright in Indiana; Michael V (Lynette) Cappiello in FL; Nicholas (Kathy) Cappiello in Ohio; and Mary (Randy) Sprague in Kansas; eight (8) grand-children: Dianna Hopkins, William Hopkins, Jr., Michael Wisser, Inez (Brian) Carlton, Brandon Wright, Michael A Cappiello, Stuart (Brianna) Sprague, and Wayne Sprague; four (4) great-grand-children: Jillian Hopkins, Madasyn Barrigar, Myra Carlton, and Clara Sprague; along with one (1) sister Rose Marie (nee Cappiello) Shaw and one (1) brother Nicholas Cappiello in Connecticut.

Burial will take place at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Freedom, Maine, in May 2019. Michael will be buried next to his beautiful wife of forty-nine (49) years and the transcendent love of his life, Mrs. Ethel Cappiello.

The family would like to thank Michael’s care staff at Hospice of Dayton for their loving and respectful care and support.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in honor of Michael to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton Foundation by calling (937) 258-5537 or by visiting their website www.hospiceofdayton.org