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WWII Elgin pilot laid to rest after 6 decades

Elgin soldier's remains found; man's plane was shot down in France

As a child, Pat Meagher prayed her father would come home for Christmas. She would watch as many World War II movies as she could get her hands on and imagine countless “what-ifs.” But her father never came home. She never met him.

“You get this ‘missing-in-action' telegram, and a year later you get ‘presumed dead,'” Meagher said. “Your imagination goes wild.”

At some point, Meagher gave up hope, realizing as an adult that even if her father had survived the war, his age would have caught up to him eventually.

Long after she stopped anticipating closure, a forensic genealogist from the military contacted Meagher to say her father's remains had been found. Lt. James Meagher, a member of the 352nd Fighter Group in World War II, died after his plane was shot down Feb. 8, 1944, in France. Pat Meagher was 7 months old.

On Saturday, the World War II soldier from Elgin who joined the Army shortly after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor received the dignified burial he always deserved. Servicemen and women from across the region stood with his family to say thank you for his sacrifice and to put his body to rest.

A service was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Gilberts, and Master Sgt. Larry Cichelli played taps on the bugle as members of the 795th Military Police Battalion out of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., carried the casket to the gravesite at St. Mary's cemetery. While the United States flag was folded and presented to Pat Meagher, and a P-51 Mustang flew overhead, Cichelli played “America the Beautiful” and a family's unanswered questions fell away.

For James Meagher's siblings, two of whom are still alive, it is a sense of closure and relief they feel.

“After the war was over, I think, for the most part, the family accepted that he was not coming back,” said Richard Meagher, the soldier's younger brother.

But for Pat Meagher, it's not pure relief. She spent much of the funeral thinking about her mother, who died about 10 years ago, never having remarried or truly stopped hoping her husband might come back.

“I wish this had happened 40 years ago or something,” Meagher said. “I think it would have made a huge difference in her life.”

Wayne Kirkpatrick, board chairman for Chapter 2 of Illinois Rolling Thunder, said the fact that 88,000 people are still missing from this country's wars is a national tragedy. His group's purpose is to keep the public aware of the missing and keep pressure on the government to keep searching. He and several dozen Rolling Thunder members escorted the hearse from the church to the cemetery.

As Meagher's family contemplates the emotions brought up after decades of silence, investigations will continue to bring a bit of closure to other families.

“Every military service embraces the philosophy of leaving no one behind,” Kirkpatrick said. “We take that very seriously.”

WWII hero from Elgin finally coming home

  Members of the 795th Military Police Battalion out of Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., carry the casket of World War II pilot and Elgin resident Lt. James Meagher after his funeral at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gilberts. Lt. Meagher, of the 352nd Fighter Group, died after being shot down over France in 1944. His remains were buried Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  A P-51 Mustang flies over St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in honor of World War II pilot Lt. James Meagher on Saturday. Lt. Meagher, of the 352nd Fighter Group, died after being shot down over France in 1944. His remains were buried Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Carrying the American flag, Gary Brandt of Round Lake leads the escort of Rolling Thunder for World War II pilot Lt. James Meagher from St. Mary’s Catholic Church to St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Gilberts. Lt. Meagher, an Elgin resident and member of the 352nd Fighter Group, died after being shot down over France in 1944. His remains were buried Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Members of Rolling Thunder carry their POW-MIA flags from their bikes into the cemetery for the burial of World War II pilot Lt. James Meagher at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Gilberts on Saturday. Lt. Meagher died after being shot down over France in 1944. His body is only now being buried near other family members in Gilberts. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Master Sgt. Larry Cichelli plays taps at the burial site of World War II pilot Lt. James Meagher at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Gilberts on Saturday. Lt. Meagher, of the 352nd Fighter Group, died after being shot over France in 1944. His remains were buried Saturday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Members of the 795th Military Police Battalion out of Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., carry the casket of World War II pilot and Elgin resident Lt. James Meagher after his funeral at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gilberts. Lt. Meagher died after being shot down over France in 1944. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com