Vet who piloted bomber in WWII dies
A World War II veteran who piloted 32 bombing missions over Europe in 1943 died Monday at a Wauconda care center.
John J. Horan, an Ingleside resident since 1982, was 92.
"John was a gentle and kind human being, as well as a battle-hardened warrior," longtime friend Art Peterson said. "His heroism in combat helped preserve our democracy. Today, for me, is a day of tears, and pride in having known a compassionate war hero like John Horan."
Horan flew a four-engine, two-tailed B-24 Liberator in the Mighty Eighth Air Force, serving in the 466th bomb group, based in Attlebridge, England.
In a 2005 newspaper story, Horan said that of 405 crews who served the 466th bomb group in the last year of the war, 333 men were killed in action, and 171 were taken prisoner. One of the 40 U.S. heavy bomber groups in England, the 466th lost 47 aircraft in combat and another 24 from combat damage or accidents.
The 466th bomb group delivered 12.9 tons of bombs on enemy targets while flying 231 missions, he had said.
Horan was born in Milwaukee in 1922 and moved to Chicago when he was 4. He graduated from Roosevelt High School and went to work as a draftsman at Western Electric Co. in Cicero.
He joined the U.S. Air Corp's Aviation Cadet program when he was 19, before he was called into active duty in 1943.
After the war, Horan returned to Western Electric until he retired from the firm's Schaumburg facility in 1981.
Horan was preceded in death by his wife, Irene, in 2012. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Elsie Swiatecki; niece, Susan (Michael) Pitt; great niece and nephews, Kim (Eric) Best, Mike (Ashley) Pitt, and Chris (Courtney) Pitt; and great-great nieces, Grayson and Bronwyn Pitt.
Visitation is at Hamsher Lakeside Funerals and Cremations in Fox Lake, 12 N. Pistakee Road, from 9 a.m. until the start of the funeral at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Grant Cemetery, Ingleside.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Horan's name may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, 230 W. Monroe St., Chicago, or by calling (630) 522-4774. Condolences can be made online at hamsherlakeside.com.