Brookline War Memorial
Harry C. Shannon

2nd Lt. Harry C. Shannon
United States Army Air Corps (1942-1943)

Harry C. Shannon

United States Army Air Services (1917-1947)

Harry Charles Shannon was born on May 30, 1920, to parents Catherine M. and Harry E. Shannon of 2853 Midland Street. Harry had three brothers, Ralph, Robert and Jack, and one sister, Marie. The Shannon family were members of the Brookline Boulevard United Presbyterian Church, where Harry was a Boy Scout. A graduate of Brookline Elementary School and South Hills High School, Harry attended Duff's Iron City College and worked as an insurance broker for Logue Brothers.

Two months after the United States entered World War II, in February 1942, Harry enlisted in the U.S. Army and, after completing basic training, joined the Aviation Air Corps. After further flight training in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and assigned as a bombardier in the 64th Bombardment Squadron, 43rd Bombardment Group of the United States 5th Air Force.

2nd Lt. Harry C. Shannon was assigned to a ten member B24 Liberator bomber crew. His other crew members were 1st Lt. Walter C. Hammond, Pilot; 1st Lt. Robert F. Johnston, Co-Pilot; 2nd Lt. Arthur N. Zuckerman, Navigator; T/Sgt Hartsill C. Rasor, Engineer; T/Sgt William E. Guinn, R; S/Sgt Dominic T. Rossi, AE; S/Sgt Glenn E. Slettin, AR; S/Sgt Jeremiah S. Connolly, Gunner; S/Sgt Daniel M. Costello, Gunner.

                 

The 64th Bombardment Squadron began the war equipped with early model B-17 Flying Fortresses flying anti-submarine missions from Bangor, Maine. The unit was deployed to Australia in February 1942. Equipped with a rag-tag group of B-17's the squadron began flying anti-shipping missions in support of New Guinea in September 1942. The unit participated in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, using low-level skip bombing against Japanese troop transports and destroyers.

Originally stationed at Fenton Field in Australia, the squadron moved to Jackson Airdrome in Port Moresby, New Guinea on January 30, 1943. Starting in May 1943, the lumbering B-17's were replaced with B-24 Liberators, an aircraft better suited to the long-range missions in the South Pacific.

B-24 Liberator bomber

After crew certification was completed in April 1943, Lt. Shannon and the rest of the crew received their new B-24 Liberator #40671 and christened it "Double Trouble." Before going overseas, the men were given leave.

Harry spent the month of May 1943 at home in Brookline with his parents Harry and Catherin, and brother Jack. His other brothers were both in the service. Ralph was a private in the Army training in an armored unit in Arkansas and Robert in Naval Radio School in Indiana. His sister Marie had married and was living in Roanoke, Virginia at the time.

On May 30, his 23rd birthday, Harry's leave ended and he left Pittsburgh to rejoin his unit. Soon he and his crew were flying their new bomber from the west coast of the United States to the South Pacific Theatre of Operations to join their squadron.

After several stops along the way, they arrived at Port Moresby, New Guinea on June 29. At the time, General MacArthur's forces were involved in Operation Cartwheel, a major Allied offensive designed to neutralize the Japanese stronghold at Rabaul. The 64th Squadron was flying shipping interdiction and bombing missions in support of that campaign.

B-24 on a bombimg run over Salamaua.
A B-24 Liberator during a bombing run over the major Japanese base at Salamaua, Australian New Guinea.

Only two weeks after arriving at their base, Lt. Shannon and the crew of "Double Trouble" took off for a mission from Jackson Airdrome and began circling the ocean to gain altitude. Within less than an hour the aircraft suffered mechanical problems and the pilot, Lt. Hammond, began the return run to the base.

On the plane's approach to the airdrome, a catastrophic failure caused the aircraft to lose control when only 300 feet above the ground. The B-24 crashed and exploded. All ten crew members were killed instantly. 2nd Lt. Harry C. Shannon's body was buried near Port Moresby in New Guinea.

Back home in Brookline, the Shannon family received a telegram on July 23 notifying them of Harry's fate. The Pittsburgh Press reported his death on August 7. While the community of Brookline mourned Harry's loss, in the window of the Shannon home at 2853 Midland Street, a Gold Star replaced one of the three Blue Service Stars.

Union Dale Cemetery

In March 1948, the body of 2nd Lt. Harry Charles Shannon was returned to the United States. Funeral services were held on March 27 at Beinhauer Mortuary. He was buried in the soldier's plot at the Union Dale Cemetery on the Northside, with military services by Brookline's American Legion Post #540.

Union Dale Cemetery

The Shannon family tragedy did not end with the death of their son Harry. Their youngest son, Marine Private Jack E. Shannon, lost his life on June 20, 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa. Jack is buried alongside his brother Harry at the Union Dale Cemetery. The other two Shannon brothers, Ralph and Robert, both survived the war. The Shannon family of 2853 Midland Street was the only Brookline family to lose two sons during World War II.

* Written by Clint Burton: May 2, 2018 *




The Brookline War Memorial

The Brookline Veteran's Memorial.

Listed below are many of the sons of Brookline who gave their
lives to preserve freedom and contain aggression during
World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.
Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”
General George S. Patton
 

United States Army (1775-present)  United States Army Air Services (1917-1947)  United States Navy (1775-present)  United States Marine Corps (1775-present)
United States Coast Guards (1790-present)  United States Air Force (1947-present)  United States Merchant Marine (1775-present)

World War I (1917-1919)

Percy Digby

Digby, David P.
Mayville Avenue
Army

Details

Raymond P. Cronin

Cronin, Raymond P.
Berkshire Avenue
USMC

Details

Charles Luppe

Luppe, Charles
Ferncliffe Avenue
Army

Details

WW1 Memorial - Washington D.C.
The World War I Memorial - Washington D.C.

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World War II (1941-1945)


Alm, William H.
Pioneer Avenue
Army

Details


Arensberg, Roy T.
Fernhill Avenue
Army

Details


Bracey, Bruce H.
Plainview Avenue
Army

Details


Brickley, Edward G.
Woodward Avenue
Army

Details


Capogreca, James J.
Merrick Avenue
Navy

Details


Copeland, Clarence R.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Cullison, Thomas J.
Birtley Avenue
Army

Details


Dempsey, Howard F.
Berkshire Avenue
Army

Details


Dempsey, Walter F.
Milan Avenue
Navy

Details


Diegelman, Edward R. Jr
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Dornetto, Frank P.
Jacob Street
Navy

Details


Doyle, John F Jr.
Eben Street
Navy

Details


Fagan, Gerald B.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Falk, Harold E.
Pioneer Avenue
Army

Details


Fehring, Robert M.
Fernhill Avenue
Army

Details


Gmuca, Joseph J.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Heil, Robert F.
Bayridge Avenue
Army

Details


Hynes, Richard E.
Waddington Avenue
Army

Details


Kestler, Paul C.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Ketters, Robert C.
Berkshire Avenue
Army

Details


Mahoney, Michael J.
Oakridge Street
Army

Details


Majestic, Arthur B.
Starkamp Avenue
Army

Details


Mayberry, Alexander G.
Breining Street
Army

Details


Mazza, John
Alwyn Street
Army

Details


McCann, Robert F.
Edgebrook Avenue
Navy

Details


McFarland, Hugh R.
McNeilly Road
Army

Details


Meisner, Walter F.
Berwin Avenue
Merchant Marine

Details


Miller, William J.
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Napier, Edward J.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Nicholson, John D.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


O'Day, John R.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Orient, Andrew D.
Fordham Avenue
Army

Details


Pisiecki, Raymond A.
Wolford Avenue
Army

Details


Reeves, Alfred M.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Reitmeyer, John P.
Bellaire Avenue
Navy

Details


Rhing, Vern M.
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Ruane, Roy J.
Berkshire Avenue
USMC

Details


Shannon, Harry C.
Midland Street
Army

Details


Shannon, Jack E.
Midland Street
USMC

Details


Simpson, James D.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Spack, Harry
Linial Avenue
Army

Details


Tobin, Paul M.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Vierling, Howard F.
Fordham Avenue
Army

Details


Wagner, Ralph G.
Shawhan Avenue
Army

Details


Wentz, Walter L. Jr
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Zeiler, Harold V.
West Liberty Avenue
Army

Details


WW2 Memorial - Washington D.C.
The World War II Memorial - Washington D.C.

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Korean War (1950-1953)

Patrick Gallagher

Gallagher, Patrick J.
Bodkin Street
Army

Details

James Gormley

Gormley, James W.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details

Gerald Hilliard

Hilliard, Gerald G.
Edgebrook Avenue
Army

Details

James McKenna

McKenna, James E.
Bellaire Place
Army

Details

Korean War Memorial - Washington D.C.
Korean War Memorial - Washington D.C.

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Vietnam War (1965-1973)

James Robert Bodish

Bodish, James R.
Plainview Avenue
Army

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

James Gilbert Collins

Collins, James G.
Dunster Street
Army

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

James Charles Wonn

Wonn, James C.
Mayville Avenue
Navy

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

Vietnam War Memorial - Washington D.C.
Vietnam War Memorial - Washington D.C.




The Brookline Monument - The Cannon

Brookline Veteran's Park - April 26, 2014.

<Brookline War Memorial> <> <Brookline History>