Early Life in Clarkstown

Joseph C. Damiani was born and raised in Clarkstown Ward 1. He attended St. Augustine and Little Tor Grammar Schools, Felix Festa Middle School and Clarkstown North. Joe played baseball in the New City Little League and Clarkstown Babe Ruth League. Joe also played football for the New City Rams. In high school he lettered in soccer, swimming and Diving and baseball. He was recruited in the summer of his Junior Year by Fordham University as a 1 and 3-meter diver for their Varsity Swim Team. He spent one year at Fordham University (in lieu of his senior year at Clarkstown) and earned a Varsity Letter while maintaining a 3.7 GPA.

Military Service & Education

In the hopes of fulfilling a childhood dream to be a Pilot, Joe tested for an Air Force ROTC Scholarship and an Undergraduate Pilot Training Slot. He was awarded a 4 year Academic Scholarship and Pilot Training Commitment. That summer he was also accepted at Cornell University which had an AFROTC Unit. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Economics and Business Management at Cornell University with concentrations in math, finance and the physical sciences. Joe played 8 seasons of Rugby at Cornell and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. He spent 23 years in the Active Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Awards and Decorations include 2 Air Medals, an Aerial Achievement Award, an Air Force Commendation and a Humanitarian Airlift Medal while flying more than 40 missions in Hazardous Conditions. While in the Air Force, he lived in Biloxi, MS, Kailua, HI and Fayetteville, NC. While in Hawai’i and North Carolina Joe participated in dozens of Triathlons and open water swims culminating with the Hawai’i Ironman in 1986. Joe played Rugby for the Air Force Select Side, Gulf Coast Rugby, Honolulu Harlequins and Anchorage Barbarians. He served with and helped train members of the 82 and 101st Airborne, SEAL Teams, Delta Force and Marine Raiders(MARSOC). With a special Top Secret Clearance Joe was tasked to fly missions such as “Flowing Pen” and “Volant Silver”. As a C-130 Combat Tactics Specialist, he served as a Command Post Liaison to the Hawai’i Air National Guard’s General Staff at Hickam AFB, Hawai’i. Joe flew over 20 missions into austere fields throughout Somalia during its devastating famine and terrorist civil war in the early 1990’s. He also flew over 20 missions into Bosnia-Herzegovina and Sarajevo during the Balkans War.

Professional & Union Career

He returned home after active duty and was hired by Pan American Airways. He was based and lived for a year in Berlin, Germany, as the Berlin Wall was coming down, flying behind the Iron Curtain during the waning years of the USSR. After Pan Am’s unfortunate liquidation, Joe flew for Northwest and Delta Airlines retiring as a Captain with 30 years of experience. Joe has flown all over the world. He was also an active Union Representative in the Airline Pilots Association specializing in Retirement and Insurance issues. He was a Project Manager tasked with the re-design and Negotiation of Northwest Airlines Pilots’ Retirement System, helping to rescue over 4 Billion Dollars in accrued cash benefits that were at risk of termination during the Merger with Delta Air Lines. Joe Joe flew the Boeing 727, 737, 747, 757, and 767 everywhere from Hong Kong to Moscow with hundreds of Atlantic and Pacific Ocean crossings.

Joe Today

Joe retired from commercial flying during the COVID Pandemic. He currently lives in New City with his two talented daughters; Grace and Stella. Joe volunteered with Rockland Youth Dance Ensemble while Grace was dancing. Joe also volunteered with the Nanuet Little League as an assistant coach and manager of Stella’s 11 year old All-Star team. Joe is a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars at Post 9215 in Upper Nyack.

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