Funeral Procession Route Set For WWII Pilot Who Was MIA For 80 Years

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — An Illinois veterans group is asking for a “good and honorable” turnout of local residents to line the funeral procession route for a young World War II pilot who is finally coming home after he went missing in action 80 years ago.

Visitation and Mass for USAAF First Lt. Edward Timothy McGuire will be held Saturday, Oct. 28, at Most Holy Redeemer Church, 9525 S. Lawndale, Evergreen Park. McGuire, who was just 22 when he died, will be laid to rest with full military honors at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip.

Rolling Thunder, Inc. Illinois Chapter 2 has been coordinating the dignified transfer and escort of McGuire’s remains, who is finally coming home back to the South Side neighborhood he left over 80 years ago to go off to war. The group strives to educate the public about the 82,000 military service members who remain missing in action in wars dating back to World War I, and to ensure that no one gets left behind in future conflicts.

“This is our 17th MIA that we’ve assisted in bringing back,” said Wayne Kirkpatrick, a retired U.S. Army colonel and chair of the all-volunteer Rolling Thunder chapter. “We provide escorts, ceremonies and eulogies. Most of all we educate school children – that’s the most awesome thing.”

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Dignified transfer of remains down Cicero Avenue in Oak Lawn (Lorraine Swanson|Patch)

McGuire joined up with the U.S. Army Air Forces from Chicago, where served in the 415th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group. On Aug.1, 1943, his was one of 177 planes that took part in Operation Tidal Wave to bomb the oil refineries in Romania that fueled Germany's war machine. While McGuire was able to save his crew, his B-24 Liberator was shot down by anti-aircraft fire before he could bail out himself. McGuire’s plane was among the 51 that failed to return.

McGuire remained buried as an unknown in Belgium for 80 years, until his remains were identified over the summer by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Residents who wish to honor the Lt. McGuire are asked to line the streets for his final ride to Holy Sepulchre Cemetery where he will be interred next to his parents. The funeral procession is expected to leave Most Holy Redeemer around noon and Saturday:

• Heading west on 96th Street to Harding Avenue,
• South on Harding to 97th Street
• West on 9t7th Street to Pulaski Road,
• South on Pulaski Road to 111th Street
• West on 111th to Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 6001 W. 111th St., Alsip.
• The procession is expected to take approximately 40 minutes.

Expect to see an impressive escort of riders led by Rolling Thunder Illinois Chapters 1 and 2, and the Rt 66 HOGS, along with the fire and police departments from Evergreen Park and Alsip, and the Chicago Police Department. Riders will be carrying flags from each branch of the military and POW/MIA flags. The hearse will be accompanied by a U.S. Army military escort.

Also invited are the Illinois Patriot Riders, the Canaryville Riders, and riders from local VFW and American Legion Posts.

“They have a tendency to just show up,” Kirkpatrick said.

Last Friday, Rolling Thunder was present at Chicago Midway Airport for the dignified transfer of McGuire’s remains. The group roared down Cicero Avenue escorting the lost airman and his family to Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn.

“It’s not enough,” Kirkpatrick said of the somber duty. “We saw a father and his two kids standing there with American flags and an Evergreen Park firefighter saluting at the top of a ladder. I was mouthing thank-you to everyone who turned out.”

For those unable to attend the service, USAFF First Lt. Edward T. McGuire’s funeral can be viewed via LiveStream.