Pio Honors Her Father, All Veterans

Donna Pio speaks at Veterans Appreciation Day at Millville Executive Airport.

The Millville Army Airfield Museum (MAAFM) held its annual Veterans Appreciation Day. Lisa Jester, MAAFM executive director, said “We honor our World War II veterans here at America’s First Defense Airport, along with all veterans for their service to our country.”   

Donna Pio, Millville Woman’s Club Education Co-Chair, was keynote speaker at the Veterans Appreciation Day. While honoring all of our veterans, Pio was happy to honor her father, Robert “Bob” Goldstine, a World War II veteran. Sergeant Goldstine was in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was a P-47 Thunderbolt mechanic stationed at the Millville Army Airfield. Donna shared some of his experiences while living there.

Members of the Millville Woman’s Club were honored to have Pio speak at their November meeting. She provided members with a brief description of her father’s service and life on the base. She noted that it was there, at a USO Halloween dance, that he met his future wife, Madeline Milita!  Bob and Madeline were later married and settled in Millville where they raised their three children. Pio shared some of her photographs, including one of her father in uniform and one of her mother and father at the museum dressed in their wedding attire.

Pio’s father, Sergeant Robert D. Goldstine. Pio beside display of her parents, Robert Goldstine and Madeline Milita Goldstine, in wedding attire in the Millville Army Airbase Museum