Last Known Activity:
Omer E. McIntyre was born in 1921 in Indiana, according to enlistment data. The US Census 1940 shows him as a stepson residing in the household of Charles M. and Eva J. Quackenbush.
He enlisted at Fort Benjamin Harrison , Indiana on July 2, 1941. He had completed 4 years of high school, and was a member of the Indiana National Guard. He was trained as an aerial gunner, awarded wings, and assigned to the combat crew led by Lt Fonner in North Africa.
On July 16, 1943, the crew was part of a formation to bomb facilities in Italy. On the bomb run, a flak shell hit #4 engine, setting it on fire. Immediately, another shell exploded in front of the aircraft, killing the forward crew and setting #3 engine and wing gas tank on fire. The aircraft dropped, rolled to the right, and plunged earthward. It then exploded, throwing three crew members free.
These members made a safe parachute landing, although all were slightly injured. They were captured by Italian troops, and as they were taken to a hospital, they were told that 6 bodies had been recovered from the wreckage. These bodies were evidently buried locally and retrieved later, as in July, 1950, they were returned and buried in a common grave at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri in Section 82, Site 55C.
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US Census 1940
NARA Enlistment Records
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Comments/Citation:
SSgt Omer E. McIntyre was the ball turret gunner on B-17F # 42-29799, no name, assigned to the 353rd Bomb Squadron.
Missing Air Crew Report 209 was issued for this loss. Mission loading lists state the crew was:
1 Lt Robert M. Fonner p
2 Lt William M. Ayles c-p
2 Lt Leo Grossman nav
2 Lt Loyd C. Dibert bomb
TSgt Charles R. Geno eng/tt gun
TSgt Alfred L. Beene r/o
SSgt Omer E. McIntyre btg
SSgt William N. Jackson wg
SSgt James L. Arnold tail gun
Ranks and grades as of mission date.
Geno, Jackson, and Arnold were the survivors.
LT Dibert's name as recorded on crew list is "Loyd." All other references equal "Lloyd."
Service photo source:
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