Darr H. Alkire

Darr Hayes Alkire
Born (1903-12-31)December 31, 1903
Fay, Nevada[1]
Died July 22, 1977(1977-07-22) (aged 73)
Scottsboro, Alabama
Place of Burial National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu [2]
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force
Years of service March 10, 1924-October 31, 1956[1]
Rank Brigadier General
Commands held 1937: 96th Bomb Squadron
1942: Second Bombardment Group
1942: 100th Bombardment Group
1943: 449th Bombardment Group
1954: Newark Transportation Control Depot
1954: 3101st Logistics Control Group[1]
Battles/wars World War II
Korean War
Awards Air Force DSM, Silver Star
Relations 1927-8 marriage: Ruth Eleanor McKee (divorce), son Michael E Alkire (1927)
1930 marriage:[3] Alma Tate Robinson,[4] daughters Darrilyn Ann Alkire (1932) & Jacqueline Hayes Alkire (1934)

Brigadier General Darr Hayes Alkire was a pilot of the United States Army Air Corps in 1932,[5] the United States Army Air Forces (1941), and the United States Air Force (1947); and was the first commander of the World War II 100th Bombardment Group.[1] After his 19th B-24 Liberator mission,[6]:23 when the Lurchin Urchin[7] (41-29223)[8] crashed near Cervia,[9] he was a POW commander until April 4, 1945; then marched to Stalag Luft III where on April 27 he was the West Compound commander until liberated.[10]

Alkire crashed Douglas BT-2C #31-445 at Yorktown, Texas, on April 11, 1932,[11] and was piloting the "Maui Maid" (41-28623, named for his 2nd wife) which was the first 449th Bombardment Group B-24 to land in Italy (at Grottaglie Airfield). The Maui Maid was scrapped for parts after a different crew struck an embankment.[12] In 1958, Alkire appeared on television in 1958 regarding the "Rocket Age."[13]

USAAF film of Lurchin Urchin

The United States Air Force filmed the Lurchin Urchin B-24 Liberator on the mission in which Colonel Alkire was shot down.[14]

References and notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 US Air Force Military Biographies, Annual. 2004. Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  2. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=3768119 Find A Grave]
  3. ↑ Article
  4. ↑ Article
  5. ↑ Accident Report
  6. ↑ Article
  7. ↑ Military Standard
  8. ↑ United States Army Air Forces
  9. ↑ Book
  10. ↑ Article
  11. ↑ Article
  12. ↑ Article
  13. ↑ Article
  14. ↑ "Movie for the crew of the B24 bomber piloted by Col. Darr H. Alkire, January 31, 1944 crashed off the coast of Cervia" (GuitarSolos.com video). (also Video on YouTube)

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force website http://www.af.mil.

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