There have been countless former Suffolk County student-athletes who have gone on to serve our country since the turn of the 20th century.
Section XI will be honoring veterans from the area with occasional posts. Look out for them on SectionXI.org, and our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
First up is Algy Augunas, who played baseball at Bay Shore High School and graduated in 1939. He died tragically during World War II and his story received considerable press at the time.
Algy became the radio operator on the B-29, “Mission to Albuquerque.
As radio operator, Algy was awarded Medals of Commendation for his stead fast guidance while escorting damaged or crippled planes home to Saipan, or if they had to ditch after bombing missions over Japan relaying rescue information.
Algy was born and raised in Bay Shore, New York, on Long Island. He graduated from high school in 1939, where he excelled in his passion-baseball. A hot-hitting shortstop, he was admired as a leader and play maker by his teammates and coaches, and may have been one of the best ball players to ever graduate from Bay Shore High School.
After high school, Algy continued his playing career at High Point College in North Carolina and the University of South Carolina. He also attended Babe Ruth’s Baseball School in Florida, before signing a professional contract with the Gloversville, New York Club.
Algy went to work for the Republic Aviation Corp., where he continued to play baseball on a traveling team.The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor put his baseball career on hold indefinitely.
Like millions of other young men, he wanted to get into the fight. He enlisted in the Army on 1 February 1943, and he went off to war volunteering for the Air Corp.
Algy accomplished everything asked of him in the Army, and qualified as a radio operator.
In the summer of 1944, he joined a B-29 crew that was to be led by A/C Major Robert Fitzgerald. Upon final completion of their training, Algy and the crew left for the Pacific via Sacramento, Hawaii, and Kwajalein, and arrived on Saipan in early November, 1944. This crew would prove to be outstanding. Their airplane garnered the nickname of the “St. Bernard”, due to the number of damaged or crippled B-29’s escorted home to Saipan after their bombing missions.
Algy’s story is one of interesting consequences, that are now remembered by historic proportions. His memory and honor will never be forgotten.