Harry Delbert “Dibby” Symmonds was born Dec. 11, 1920 to Hurshel Squire (Sr.) and Lillie M. Smeltser Symmonds. He died May 29, 1943.
Sgt. Symmonds served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 94th Bomb Group, 410th Bomb Squadron. He was MIA/KIA when his plane, B-17F-55-BO, “Snafu”, #42,29476, crashed near Brittany, France.
His brother, Richard Newman Symmonds, served with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in New Guinea in the South Pacific. He built airfields on islands in the Pacific as the Allies moved closer to Japan—working 12 hour shifts and were strafed and bombed by day, rebuilding airstrips by night.
His brother, Hurshel Jr., served with the U.S. Navy Seabees as a First Class Electrician’s Mate.
All are buried in Oakland Cemetery, Keokuk, IA.
Sources: ancestry.com
