Jesse Merle Gallagher was born on March 2, 1922, in Huntingdon, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Merle S. and Margaret A. Gallagher. He completed his studies at Huntingdon High School in 1941. He entered the Army on June 16, 1941. He trained as a gunner at Tyndall Field, Florida, later served at Westover Field, Massachusetts, and was sent overseas in October 1944. He served in the 826th Bomber Squadron, 484th Bomber Group, as a Sergeant and Nose Turret Gunner of B-24 #42-51882 during World War II.

On February 20, 1945, 2Lt Orgene V. Colvin and his crew took off from Torretto Airfield in the Foggia Complex, Italy, as part of a mission to bomb the marshalling yards at Bolzano. During the attack, their B-24 was struck by six direct hits of enemy flak in the waist section. The blasts ripped the fuselage apart just behind the bomb bays, tearing the aircraft in two. The ball turret broke away and fell, while the forward section, still carrying its bombs, plunged into a dive, ignited near the ground, and exploded against the side of a mountain. The toll was devastating: four crewmen were killed instantly by the flak. Two others died when their parachutes failed to open, and three more perished later from exposure or starvation after bailing out. Only the pilot survived and was taken as a prisoner of war.

Sgt Gallagher was Killed in Action on his 14th mission when his parachute failed to open after bailing out. He is now buried in the Riverview Cemetery, Huntingdon, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, 484th.org/index.htm
Source of photo: Steve Cambria