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McKinney Airman finally home, 74 years later

The wreckage of Bobby Joe Younger's plane was found in the northern German countryside just three years ago and remains identified as Younger and others from the 1944 bombing crew.

MCKINNEY, Texas -- Dozens gathered in Veterans Memorial Park in McKinney Wednesday night to honor a native son whose journey home from World War II, with interment Wednesday morning at Arlington National Cemetery, took 74 years.

Bobby Joe Younger, an 18-year-old graduate of McKinney High School, was a freshman at Texas A&M when he joined the war effort and became a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Corps. Assigned to a B-17 bomber dubbed the “Bomber-Dear” he served as the belly turret gunner in multiple missions over Germany.

But November 2, 1944, as a member of the 323rd Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy), Eighth Air Force, he and his nine-man aircrew were hit by flak during a bombing mission on a petroleum depot in Merseburg, Germany. According to the Joint MIA/POW Accounting command the B-17 fell out of formation and was attacked by German fighters.

Witnesses reported that the aircraft burst into flames and crashed near the town of Barby. Three crewmembers survived and were taken as prisoners of war, a third was killed and identified by mid-1945. But Bobby Joe Younger and four others were declared missing in action.

But home in McKinney, by 2000, city leaders and the founders of McKinney’s historic Chestnut Square chose to make Younger the focus of a memorial to all of Collin County’s World War II dead.

"This is designed as a memorial to all of our military heroes,” Hank Evers said of an upstairs room at the Johnson House in Chestnut Square. The home, once owned by a great-uncle of Bobby Joe Younger, was built in 1870. And the upstairs room has, for several years now, been decorated as it would have been when the 18-year-old Younger left for war.

"This is an important part of history,” Evers said. “And it’s part of history that many people forget."

The room includes Younger’s letterman jacket from McKinney High, a jumpsuit from Texas A&M, and many of the letters he wrote to his mom from his time in Europe.

"Dear Mom. Sorry I haven't written you lately but there isn't much to write,” he said in what turned out to be his last letter home. “My crew and I have been getting along fine. Haven't had any serious trouble so far and don't intend to."

The letter was dated November 1st, the day before his plane went down. The letter arrived in McKinney weeks later.

"Can you imagine being a mother and knowing that your son's plane was shot down and then you get this letter who knows how many days afterwards,” said Chestnut Square executive director Jaymie Pedigo.

His letters and his room have even more meaning now. The wreckage of his plane was found in the northern German countryside just three years ago and remains identified as Younger and others from the 1944 bombing crew. And Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery the remains of Bobby Younger and his crew were given a hero's burial long overdue. They were buried with full military honors, together.

"That's just everything,” Evers said. “Not only is he returned home, but he's buried with his crew in Arlington National Cemetery, the greatest honor a deceased veteran can have."

"Well, I think we have an obligation to recognize the heroes of the past,” said former McKinney Mayor Donald Dozier who was mayor when the room to memorialize Bobby Joe Younger was created. "Such a young life snuffed out just as he was ready to really show what he was made of."

Younger’s portrait, created by artist Colin Kimball, is among those in McKinney's hall of heroes in the Collin County Courthouse. Open houses are held weekly at his room at the Johnson House for anyone who wants to see it too.

And Hank Evers hopes you will. "I want you to get a little bit of reverence for those who died, for this nation, for their community, those who gave their all. They're important,” he said.

Important. And finally home.

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