Grant Eugene Eichar was born on 20 April 1915 in Marshalltown, Marshall County, Iowa. He was the son of Grant and Lucy Eichar and the husband of Vernette Eichar of Elgin, Illinois.
He was initially educated at Abby C. Wing Primary School, Elgin, Kane County, Illinois, USA. He went on to Elgin High School and eventually to the University of Illinois, Champaign, Champaign County, Illinois. He was an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and became the Scoutmaster of a local troop. In 1936 he was employed as an apprentice druggist leaving in 1940 to work on automobiles.
He was married three times: to Maxine Elliott (b.1917) in 1935 in Elgin, Illinois, to Delores Wirth in Clinton, Iowa, and finally to Vernette Christinabelle Anderson (1919-1980) in Burlington, Iowa, on 9 November 1940. He had two children: James Grant Eichar (b. 23 October 1936) and Richard Donald Eichar (23 July 1941-7 January 1942).
He moved to Canada and on 8 December 1940 he applied to join the Royal Canadian Air Force and was accepted in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, as an Aircraftman Second Class (AC2) on 14 December 1940. His service number was J/15650. He was promoted to Leading Aircraftman (LAC) on 27 May 1941 and to Sergeant on 25 September 1941 when he was awarded his pilot's flying badge. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on 22 June 1942 and was attached to the Royal Air Force's No.133 Eagle Squadron.
The American Air Museum in Britain website states that on 31 July 1942, aged 27 years, he was flying a Supermarine Spitfire Mark Vb, serial number BM646, as 'an escort on Rodeo for Boston bombers to Abbeville. intercepted on the return journey by Fw190s and shot down. 'Boston' bombers were actually Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber airplanes. However, the Aircrews Remembered website shows he was flying in Operation Circus 201. This is more believable as Circus operations were escort duties whilst Rodeo operations were fighter sweeps over enemy territory with no bombers. His Squadron Leader, E. H. Thomas, states in a letter dated 2 August 1942 to his mother that "the squadron was escorting bombers to an enemy aerodrome in Northern France. After bombing successfully the Squadron was engaged with enemy fighters as we were crossing the French coast on the way home. A general 'dog fight' ensued and your son has not returned to base. Your son has been with the squadron since 22nd February and had taken part in many convoy patrols and 15 offensive operations over enemy occupied France."
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.londonremembers.com