The connection between Charles McGuire and Santa Cruz County is unclear; however, during his Korean War service, he designated it as his county of residence.

Charles Frederick McGuire was born on September 7, 1921, in California. In 1945 he was living in Fresno and working as an elevator operator when he enlisted in the US Army. He indicated on his enlistment form that he had completed one year of college and had been married and divorced. He apparently had served in World War II and following the war, joined the National Guard as a master sergeant.

On December 20, 1945, Charles McGuire was recalled into the US Air Force and received training qualifying him for a commission. It is possible that McGuire used the Santa Cruz residence of his wife Rita on his air force entry forms. When he was sent to Korea, Captain McGuire was assigned to the 28th Bomb Squadron of the 19th Bomb Wing.

“Immediately after the communist invasion of South Korea, the 19th BG moved from Guam to Okinawa. Initially under the operational control of Twentieth AF, after July 8, 1950, it was attached to FEAF Bomber Command (Provisional). The first B-29 unit in the war, the group on June 28 attacked North Korean storage tanks, marshalling yards, and armor. In the first two months, it flew more than six hundred sorties, supporting UN ground forces by bombing enemy troops, vehicles, and such communications points as the Han River bridges. In the north, its targets included an oil refinery and port facilities at Wonsan, a railroad bridge at Pyongyang, and an airfield at Yonpo. After UN ground forces pushed the communists out of South Korea, the 19th BG turned to strategic objectives in North Korea, including industrial and hydroelectric facilities. It also continued to attack bridges, marshalling yards, supply centers, artillery and troop positions, barracks, port facilities, and airfields.”

On July 7, 1953, Captain Charles Frederick McGuire was serving as a crewmember of a B-29A Superfortress bomber that was returning from a bombing mission. The bomber crashed during the landing approach to Pohang Air Base. His remains were recovered, returned to California and interred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno.

(NARA2; ABMC; USDVA; Cemetery headstone inscription; AFHRA/IT, 19th Medium Group, http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/ korean_war/usaf_organizations_korea/medium_bombardment.
html, [16 September 2008])