James Leo McEntee was born on November 14, 1924, in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He was the son of James Joseph McEntee and Ruth M. Buling McEntee. He served in the 702nd Bomber Squadron, 445th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Waist Gunner of B-24 #42-51287 during World War II.

On September 27, 1944, B-24 Liberator #42-51287 was lost during the disastrous Kassel mission over Germany. The aircraft departed RAF Tibenham, England, as part of a formation assigned to bomb the Henschel industrial and armored vehicle works at Kassel. During the approach to the target, navigational problems caused the 445th Bomb Group to drift away from the main bomber stream and lose the protection of its long-range fighter escort. After completing the bombing run and turning for home, the isolated formation was intercepted by large numbers of German fighters, primarily Fw 190s and Bf 109s, over central Germany, particularly in the Werra Valley region. The fighters carried out repeated, close-range attacks that devastated the unescorted bombers. B-24 #42-51287 was among the Liberators shot down during this intense aerial battle and crashed in Germany.

SSgt McEntee was killed in action and is now buried alongside his fellow crewmen, TSgt Kielar and SSgt Walston in a shared grave at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.rafb24.com