J. J. McNeil served in the 8th Squadron of the 62nd Troop Carrier Group. He was born on July 4, 1917 and was from Texas. On January 12, 1944, he was a crewmember aboard a Special Operation C-47 Skytrain ( 41-18681) with the mission of air dropping soldiers of the British 2nd Regiment of the Special Air Services (SAS) team to attack a German airfield (Sant Egidio Airfield outside Peruguia, Italy). After successfully dropping the six-person SAS team, the C-47 Sky Train crashed on Monte Tezio resulting in complete loss of life. The Crew consisted of: Nowotny, Raymond A ~ Lt. Col, Pilot, CA McNeil, J J, Jr ~ Maj, Co-Pilot, TX Piatak, John, Jr ~ Capt, Navigator, NY Nocentini, Joseph L ~ Capt, Surgeon, PA Holmes, Ross A ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, OK Singer, Saul ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, NY