Leon Finneran was born on August 16, 1921 and was from Rhode Island. He served as the Flight Engineer on B-17 “My Buddy” (42-31552) of the US 8th Air Force in World War II.
On July 12,1944, B-17 “My Buddy (42-31552) was part of Mission # 87 for the 748th Bomber Squadron, 457th Bomber Group (Heavy), 8th US Air Force flying out of USAAF Station 130, Glatton, UK to bomb Munich, Germany. The 457th BG lost 3 planes and 5 were damaged on this difficult mission.
During the mission, “My Buddy” was hit by flak and lost two engines. The Pilot, 2LT Kerr decided to try to make it to Switzerland. Thinking the plane was over Switzerland, Kerr gave the order to bail out. Four Crew members bailed out, but the plane was over Germany and they were captured and spent the rest of the was in a POW Camp (Stalag Luff 4 Gross-Tychow). The Officers and Flight Engineer stayed with the plane as it flew into Switzerland, As the plane became increasingly difficult to control, Co-Pilot Lindskoog and Flight Engineer Finneran bailed out. Pilot Kerr, Navigator Schilling and Bombardier Levine were killed when the plane crashed into the side of Mount Chessler above the Schlappintal Valley. Co-Pilot Lindskoog was killed when his parachute didn’t open and T/SGT Finneran was captured and interned in Switzerland in Camp Adelboden (Missing Aircraft Report {MACR} 6926).
The crew of “My Buddy” included:
Pilot: Gerald L. Kerr, 2nd Lt, KIA
Copilot: Arthur H. Lindskoog, 2nd Lt, KIA
Navigator: Edward A. Schilling, 2nd Lt, KIA
Bombardier: Melvin L. Levine, 2nd Lt, KIA
Engineer: Leon Finneran, T / Sgt, interned in Switzerland
Radio: Ernest J. Hegedus, T / Sgt, German POW
Right waist: Donald B. Boyle, S / Sgt, German POW
Left waist: Harold E. Ahlfors, S / Sgt, German POW
Tail Gunner: Samuel P. Younger, Jr., S / Sgt, German POW


A memorial remembers near Mount Chessler in Switzerland remembers those KIA.