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
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Units served with
- 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 |
Nyack, New York, USA | 17 October 1917 | |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Barth, Germany | 24 May 1944 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I. |
|
Other Shot down |
19288 Ludwigslust, Germany | 24 May 1944 | Shot down 24-May-44 in B-17 42-97845. Prisoner of War (POW). |
|
Died |
Fort Pierce, FL, USA | 21 February 2001 | |
|
Buried |
Interred Arlington National Cemetery |
Revisions
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
