Mario Bonino was born on 16 November 1914 and was from Gallarate (Varese).

In July 1942, Tenente Bonino served in the 388^a Squadriglia, At this time this unit was based in North Africa and was equipped with Fiat CR.42s.

On 1 July 1942, five Beaufighters from 252 (07:15-09:20) and 272 (07:30-09:30) Squadrons attacked Fuka and Barrani Landing Grounds.
Three C.R.42s, which were searching for a lost SM.81, ran into them. Tenente Bonino (388^a Squadriglia 0:50-07:35) flying at low level in his C.R.42 sighted five enemy twin-engine fighters which were strafing the Coastal Road and engaged them in the Abar Nimeir area, (520 rounds expended) claiming to have damaged one. The enemy aircraft fled without reaction.
The British pilots stated that they were attacked by a CR.42, without results. The Beaufighters claimed the destruction of four Ju 87s, one Bf 109 and one Bf 110, and damage to another 13 enemy aircraft.

Bonino ended the war with 1 damaged enemy aircraft, this one claimed while flying Fiat CR.42s.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1942
	01/07/42	1	Beaufighter (a)	Damaged	Fiat CR.42		Abar Nimeir area	388a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 1 damaged.
TOTAL: 1 damaged.
(a) Not verified with Allied records.

Sources:
A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945: Volume Two – Christopher Shores and Giovanni Massimello with Russell Guest, Frank Olynyk & Winfried Bock, 2012 Grub Street, London, ISBN-13: 9781909166127
Annuario Ufficiale Delle Forze Armate Del Regno D’Italia Anno 1943. Part III Regia Aeronautica – 1943 Istituto Poligrafico Dello Stato, Roma
Breaking Rommel: The struggle for Air Supremacy over El Alamein, July 1942 – Michele Palermo, Marco De Poli and Andreas Biermann, 2026 IBN Instituto Bibliografico Napoleone, ISBN (13) 9788875653873
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 1 Volume A - L