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John Frederick McGrady
Lieutenant John Frederick "Jack" McGrady, 20, of Worthington, was killed in
action in the European theater of war on February 23, 1945.
Born February 13, 1924 in West Winfield, Butler Co, to William and Gertrude
(Cypher) McGrady.
He was a 1942 graduate of Worthington-West Franklin High School, Worthington,
Pa
Lieutenant McGrady is survived by his parents, William and Gertrude (Cypher)
McGrady and six sisters; Dorothy J., Betty L, E JoAnne, Mary E., Margaret A. and
Nancy G. McGrady all at home.
A memorial mass was held at St. John's Catholic Church, Coylesville on Wednesday
morning, March 14, for Lieutenant McGrady. The memorial mass, sung by Rev. Fr.
Rattenberger, was attended by a large number of friends of the 20 year-old
soldier.
Lt. McGrady was a navigator on a B-24 Liberator bomber. He had been a member of
the armed forces since May 9, 1943.
Addition: A family member remembers being told by her parents that the B-24
Liberator bomber was returning from a raid over Poland when it went down in the
North Sea with a crew of five. Two soldiers were rescued. Lt. McGrady was hurt,
but made it out of the plane and was on the wing. He perished with the plane
before he could be rescued. After the War the McGrady family was visited by
either one of the rescuers or one of the crew that survived. It was through this
visit that the McGrady's received their unfortunate description of how their son
perished.
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