Fallen WWII Veteran Returns Home

WWII veteran, Second Lieutenant Harry B. McGuire, went missing in action in 1944 after the plane he was on was shot down in Italy. McGuire, twenty-four at the time, was a navigator on a B-24H plane, and a part of 718 squadron, 449th bomber group, and the 15th air force. The plane crashed landed on an island of Morgo, Italy, right when it was making its flight back to the base, with ten soldiers aboard. The plane was never seen again. Two remains of soldiers were discovered though, and another one was reported to be captured by enemy forces. The other seven men were reported to be still on the aircraft, and missing in action. It wasn't until 2010, did the US department of defense discover pieces of the wreck buried under ten feet of swamp water deep on the Morgo Island. It was not until more evidence (a human foot and boot), was discovered in 2014, did the department of defense contact Harry Kiefer, McGuire's nephew, for the news. DNA samples were needed to compare with the remains. It came up positive for relation towards Kiefer, and Second Lieutenant Harry B. McGuire was found. He made his homecoming earlier this week back to Chester, Illinois for his proper burial. McGuire earned a purple heart and several other metals for his actions.

WWII B-24H pictured.