Finneran, John A.

Description

John A. Finneran

John Albert Finneran was born on May 22, 1921, in Rye, New York, to Agnes Conway, age 37, and John Patrick Finneran, age 50. He had an older brother George and in Rye the family lived at Manursing Lodge. John’s father had a high school education, and worked as a successful broker. John’s mother had a high school education, and was a homemaker.

John was a proud member of the Rye High School class of 1938. In high school John was a member of the National Honors Society, and participated in chess club, band, stagecraft, and drivers club.

After high school, John enrolled in college, but his education was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. During John’s 3rd year of college (October, 1942), he was drafted into the US Army Air Corps.

Promoted Corporal, John served with the
13th Air Force headquarters. 13th AF was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the Pacific Theater of World War II.

It engaged in operations primarily in the South Pacific, attacking enemy forces in the Solomon Islands, Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaigns; Mariana and Palau Islands campaigns and the Philippines campaign (1944–45).

John had been in the service for 40 months and received an honorable discharge. He returned home to Rye from Leyte in February 1946.

On Dec. 7, 2006, John Finneran, 85, of Morro Bay died at a local care center. He was survived by his nephew Brian.

Austin Harvey
RHS 2021