First Lt Edward T. McGuire, a graduate of the Mount Carmel High School class of 1939 in Chicago, the United States, died Aug 1, 1943, at the age of 22 when his B-24 Liberator bomber went down near Ploiesti, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave in World War II.
While his death was presumed when he did not make it back to the Allied base following the operation, his remains were only recovered in 2017, which began a multi-year identification process.
On Oct 28, 80 years after his death, McGuire and his family were treated to a massive military funeral in Evergreen Park. Representatives from the US Department of Defence, police and fire departments, hundreds of community members and dozens of veterans came to pay their respects.
“What the Department of Defence has put on here is a testament to how great our country is,” said McGuire’s great-nephew Mike McAuliffe of St Louis, who also attended…