Darr H. Alkire

Brigadier General Darr Hayes Alkire was a pilot of the United States Army Air Corps in 1932, the United States Army Air Forces (1941), and the United States Air Force (1947); and was the first commander of the World War II 100th Bombardment Group. After his 19th B-24 Liberator mission when the Lurchin Urchin  (41-29223) crashed near Cervia, he was a POW commander until April 4, 1945; then marched to Stalag Luft III where on April 27 he was the West Compound commander  until liberated.

Alkire crashed Douglas BT-2C #31-445 at Yorktown, Texas, on April 11, 1932, and was piloting the "Maui Maid" (41-28623, named for his 2nd wife) which was the first 449th Bombardment Group B-24 to land in Italy  (at Grottaglie Airfield). The Maui Maid was scrapped for parts after a different crew struck an embankment. In 1958, Alkire appeared on television in 1958 regarding the "Rocket Age".

USAAF film of Lurchin Urchin
The United States Air Force filmed the Lurchin Urchin B-24 Liberator on the mission in which Colonel Alkire was shot down.