James Ralston Geary Jr
Military
Object Number - UPL 31841 - Capt James R Geary [ Sporting DFC and AM ] (390th BG) pilot 30 missions between 12-Aug-43 and 23-Mar-44, 18 x aboard 42-30434 "Betty Boop" 'The...
Assigned to 570BS, 390BG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour Duty (ETD). Re-assigned to 350BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 24-May-44 in B-17 42-97845. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 5151.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM, POW, WWII Victory, EAME (2 battle stars), AF Commendation (OLC), Distinguished Unit Citation (OLC), National Defense (1 battle star).
Awards: Remained in USAF serving in Korea and Vietnam rising to rank of Colonel.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
![Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378743.jpg.webp?itok=HBB0lqjl)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Betty Boop - The Pistol Packin Mama
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: G I Wonder
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ice Cold Katie
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Paper Doll II
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
![A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile" and their dog and monkey mascots "Scrappy" and "Joe". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Fox.’ [stamp], ‘passed for publication 25 Oct 1943.’ [stamp] and ‘289774.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ‘AERIAL MASCOTS OF FORTRESS CREWS. PH/MoN. As frisky and friendly a pair of aerial mascots as you'll find in Britain are "Scrappy" and "Joe", pup and monkey team belonging to the](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380433.jpg.webp?itok=L7HbOA_i)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Parham
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
17 October 1917 | ||
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
24 May 1944 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I. | |
|
Other Shot down |
24 May 1944 | Shot down 24-May-44 in B-17 42-97845. Prisoner of War (POW). | |
|
Died |
21 February 2001 | ||
|
Buried/ Commemorated |
Interred Arlington National Cemetery |
Revisions
Added an Association to the 100th BG, the parent bomb group of the 349th, 350th, 351st & 418th Bomb Squadrons & the 412th Air Service group.
100th Bomb Group Foundation Directory, 2000 - 2001; MACR 5151 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5151 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
