A local navigator directed his B-17 over Germany but received too much flak to return.

Daren Adrian McIntyre was born on April 1, 1922, in Ojai, California, to Mr. and Mrs. L. O. McIntyre. He came to Watsonville with his parents in 1923 and along with his brother Leslie, attended local schools. Daren enrolled in Watsonville High School in 1936 and was well known among students. In addition to working as a newspaper carrier, he was active in the Watsonville DeMolay organization. In 1940 he graduated from high school and for the next two years worked at the Charles Ford Company and the Watsonville Lumber Company.

McIntyre enlisted in the army in September 1942 and was accepted into the Aviation Cadet Program. After training at Santa Ana, California, and Ellington Field, Texas, he completed the navigator school in October 1943 and was commissioned a second lieutenant. After further training at Wendover Field, Utah, he was assigned to the 457th Bomb Group that flew B-17s out of England.

On February 24, 1944, the Flying Fortress in which Second Lieutenant Daren Adrian McIntyre served as navigator was flying a bombing raid over Schweinfurt, Germany, when it was hit by flak. Some of the crew members bailed out; however, McIntyre went down with his aircraft as it crashed in the vicinity of Ostsrands von Emmern, Germany. His body was never recovered. His awards include the Air Medal.

(CBR; WRP July 30, 1945, October 16, 1951 1:1; Photo-WHS; Homage to Lilo, Combat Chronology, http://www.chez.com/ franckruffino/My-Site/Victory_21.htm, [16 September 2008])