Emerald Baxter McNeer, Jr. was born in 1919 in Virginia. He resided in Mercer County, West Virginia prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on March 17, 1942 at Fort Thomas, Newport, Kentucky. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being Single, without dependents. Emerald served as a Staff Sergeant and Gunner on B-24D #41-24243, 374th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
B-24D #41-24243 took off, with other B-24's, on a bombing mission over Hankow, China. Over the target they were hit by Japanese ground anti-aircraft fire and also attacked by Japanese planes and shot down near Hankow. The entire crew of 9 were lost on this mission. Emerald was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash during the war. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. Emerald also has a "Cenotaph" in the Athens Cemetery, Athens, West Virginia.
He was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov