1LT Alfred Joseph Disiere, Jr.

Familial History

1LT Alfred Joseph Disiere, Jr. was born 28 December 1924 in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana to Bessie Reba Davis Metz and Alfred Joseph Disiere, Sr. He died 17 June 1944 in Calvados, Normandy, France.

He married Martha Hill Jent 5 October 1943 in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. Martha was born 20 March 1921 in Regneir, Baca County, Colorado and died 12 June 2016 in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado. They were living at 1826 E. Garfield Street, Phoenix, Arizona at the time.

Bessie Reba Davis Metz was born 18 December 1905 in Missouri, to Hattie Anna Cox and Odis Elmer Davis. She died 26 May 1960 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. The Plot was Section 47 and the Memorial #55870016. She entered matrimony with Alfred, Sr. 25 November 1922 in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma.

Alfred Joseph Disiere, Sr. was born 17 August 1899 in Indiana to Marie Philomena Riondet and Maurice Daniel Disiere. He died 30 July 1993 in Tyler, Smith County, Texas. He was interred into the Oaklawn Memorial Park, Center, Shelby County, Texas and the #80905878.

His half-brother was Donald Merritt Metz who was born 20 April 1927 in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana and died 1 March 1999 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. He was buried in the Forest Park Cemetery, Shreveport, Louisiana and the Memorial #97434850. He married Leta Ruth Mills.

Service History:

1LT Alfred Joseph Disiere, Jr. enlisted into the US Army Air Corps as a Private, 3 June 1941 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He had completed 4 years of high school, and the employment was listed as an actor. His height was 65 inches, and his weight was 126 pounds.

He was assigned to the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group also known as the “Pugnacious Pups”. The 355th was nicknamed the “Fightin’ Falcons”. His Service Number was O-813129.

The 355th was activated 15 November 1942 at Hamilton Field, California with the P-39 Airacobras. They were moved to several bases in California and Nevada then to Portland Army Air Base, Oregon in June 1943. At that time, they were re-equipped with the North American P-51 B Mustangs.

They were ordered to the European Theater of Operations and based at RAF Boxted, USAAF Station 150. It was located 4 miles north-northwest of Colchester, Essex, England. The range of the P-51 afforded bomber protection for the long missions across occupied Europe.

The 355th was moved to RAF Lashenden (USAAF Station 410) on the southern coast of England. It was located 8 nautical miles south of Maidstone and about 32 miles southeast of London. The location was advantageous for the upcoming D-Day invasion.

On 17 June 1944, he was deployed for strafing of enemy gun positions and railway lines. He crashed and died in La Haye d’Ectat, Normandy, France. The North American P-51C Mustang #42-103333 MACR #6291 was located but the images were not readable.

1LT Alfred Joseph Disiere, Jr. was buried in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Coleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France. The Plot was B 9 19 and the Memorial #56643974. His father signed the official Headstone Request Form.

Commendations:

Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters

Purple Heart

Stories Behind the Stars:

Thank you, 1LT Alfred Joseph Disiere, Jr. of the US Army Air Corps, for your sacrifice and service to our country.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII Fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen’ s name and read his/her story.

If you noticed anything missing in this profile, you can contact the author, Click on the author’s name located at the bottom of the story page next to the words “added by”.

The author is Dr. Jack W. Chisum, and the email is jchisum@q.com.

Resources:

Alfred Joseph Disiere Jr. (1924-1944) - Find a Grave Memorial

USAAF Aircraft Accidents and MACRs for June 1944 (accident-report.com)

Alfred J Disiere | American Air Museum

Alfred J Jr Disiere (born 1922) - Okmulgee County, Oklahoma (ancientfaces.com)

42-103333 | American Air Museum

354th Fighter Group | American Air Museum

355th Fighter Group | American Air Museum

Missing Air Crew Reports June 1944 (accident-report.com)

USAAF Missing Aircrew Reports - June 1944 (aviationarchaeology.com)