Knights of Columbus 4970

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Air Force Veteran Eugene Gobbo, who served from 1964-1994.

Eugene “Gene” Gobbo commissioned into the US Air Force as a transportation engineer following ROTC graduation at Newark College of Engineering (New Jersey Institute of Technology) in June 1964.

While on active service, Cobbo deployed to Thailand during the Vietnam War. He later served as a reservist for Air Defense Command at multiple locations throughout California, including Mt. Laguna Air Force Station (San Diego county) and Mill Valley Air Force Station (Marin county). Following the closure of Air Defense Command, then-Captain Gobbo was assigned to McClellan Air Force Base (Sacramento county).

In his 30 years of active and reserve Air Force service, Gobbo retired at the rank of Colonel, and had earned a Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

Though he retired from military service to Sacramento, California, Gobbo hasn’t stopped working or serving. Throughout his reservist career, Gobbo had concurrently built civilian careers at the Federal Highway Administration and the University of California, Berkeley. In both roles, he earned multiple appreciation and engineering awards, including the California Small Business Administration’s “Bridging the Gap” for his work in uniting minority communities in California with the federal government.

Perhaps most fulfilling for Gobbo, though, has been his four decades of membership and service to the Knights of Columbus, a national and international Catholic men’s charitable organization where he has served in many leadership roles. In addition to this responsibility, Gene actively participates in regional stand downs for homeless Veterans; he also serves his local parish, and fundraises for a summer camp benefiting the intellectually disabled.

Thank you for your service, and for continuing to serve, Gene!

The Arden Carmichael Council of the Knights of Columbus serves the parishes of St. Ignatius Loyola in Arden Arcade and Our Lady of the Assumption in Carmichael. Some of our members attend other surrounding parishes also. If you are a practicing Catholic man over age 18 and have yet to join the Knights, please explore  what we do and read our monthly newsletter. To begin becoming a member fill out our Interest Form or call Joe Kievernagle at 916-487-7029. 

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