World War II Honoree

Edward F. O'Mara

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Jersey City, New Jersey

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: STAFF SERGEANT. JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 149 DAYS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS JULY 9, 1942 AT NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. SERVED AS A B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BOMBER RADAR OPERATOR ASSIGNED TO THE 677TH BOMB SQUADRON, 444TH BOMB GROUP, 58TH BOMB WING, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, U.S. 20TH AIR FORCE. HIS UNIT WAS STATIONED AT THE WEST FIELD ‘GURGUAN POINT’, TINIAN, MARIANA ISLANDS, PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ON HIS 29TH MISSION, FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1945 HIS SUPERFORTRESS WAS SHOT DOWN DURING A PATHFINDER CARPET-BOMBING INCENDIARY RAID OVER TOKYO. AFTER BAILING OUT OF HIS CRIPPLED AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT CRASHED, HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE, BECOMING A PRISONER OF WAR AND HELD IN CAPTIVITY AT THE PRISONER OF WAR OMORI HEADQUARTERS CAMP OFUNA TOKYO. THERE WERE 11 CREWMEN ON BOARD, 2 BAILED OUT AND 9 PERISHED IN THE DISASTER. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HE WAS REPATRIATED AND RETURNED TO MILITARY CONTROL TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1945. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: THE SERGEANT WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS FOR HEROISM OR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT. THE AIR MEDAL WITH 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT.