By Chris Mayhew
Enquirer staff writer

VILLA HILLS - James William Amann fought in most of the major battles in the Pacific during World War II as the tail gunner on a torpedo bomber. When he returned, all he wanted to do was work with his hands, said his son, Thomas W. Amann of Ludlow.

A brick mason who helped build Riverfront Stadium, Mr. Amann died Tuesday when he was struck by a tractor-trailer rig on Interstate 275 West in Hebron. He was 80.

He was killed on the day of his 58th wedding anniversary while he was shoring up cargo he was moving for one of his daughters, his son Tom said.

"He died doing what he did all of his life, helping people," said Mr. Amann's sister, Jean Warken of Fort Wright.

He helped build the brick buildings used by almost all of the hospitals in Greater Cincinnati, including St. Elizabeth in Covington, and many of the dormitories at the University of Cincinnati, his son Tom said.

"He always said he wanted to work for his living," the son said. "For him, that was physical work."

He built the brick bell tower at St. Joseph Parish Church in Crescent Springs, completed in 1959, while he was a parish member.

"It was his pride and joy," Tom said. "It's intricate with 10 angled sides at the base that become 20 angled sides at the top."

In 1956, after living six years in Ludlow, he built his home in Villa Hills.

He became the first building inspector for the City of Villa Hills, serving from 1964-90, because city officials recognized the quality of his workmanship, his son said.

Mr. Amann enlisted in the Navy shortly after graduating from Covington Catholic High School in 1941, where he was captain of the basketball team.

As an airplane turret gunner, he fought in the battles of Midway, Coral Sea, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf.

For his combat service he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with two gold stars.

"He did not talk about the war," Tom said.

"He said that he was not a hero, but the ones who died were heroes."

"The Navy was very important to my father," Tom said. Whenever he drove his pickup truck he wore a Navy cap, and he always carried his "Shellback" card in his wallet.

"He had it on him when he died."

He was a member of Blessed Sacrament Church in Fort Mitchell, and was a baseball manager for Knothole.

Other survivors include his wife, Vera Lammert Amann; two other sons, Steve of Petersburg and Randy of Brooksville; two daughters, Connie Ehlen of Union and Cindy Boehmker of Independence; two brothers, Donald of southern Campbell County and David of Florence; 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Services have been held. His body was donated to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

Memorials: St. Charles Care Center, 500 Farrell Drive, Covington, KY 41011; or Campbell Lodge Home for Boys, 150 Skyline Drive, Cold Spring, KY 41076.

E-mail cmayhew@enquirer.com