Name Darr Alkire Died July 22, 1977 | ||
Born December 31, 1903Fay, Nevada ( 1903-12-31 ) Years of service March 10, 1924-October 31, 1956 Commands held 1937: 96th Bomb Squadron1942: Second Bombardment Group1942: 100th Bombardment Group1943: 449th Bombardment Group1954: Newark Transportation Control Depot1954: 3101st Logistics Control Group Battles/wars World War IIKorean War Spouse Ruth E. McKee (m. 1927–1928) Similar People Francis B Wai, Barney F Hajiro, Stanley Armour Dunham, Joseph Sarnoski, Madelyn Dunham | ||
Brigadier General Darr Hayes Alkire was a pilot of the United States Army Air Corps in 1932, 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. After his 19th B-24 Liberator mission, when the Lurchin Urchin (41-29223) crashed near Cervia, 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.
Alkire crashed Douglas BT-2C #31-445 at Yorktown, Texas, on April 11, 1932, 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 [1] (at Grottaglie Airfield). The Maui Maid was scrapped for parts after a different crew struck an embankment. In 1958, Alkire appeared on television in 1958 regarding the "Rocket Age."
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.