Capt. John Geer Missing In Action Over Holland

Local Boy Was Squadron Leader On Bomber

Telegraphic notification from the war daperament[sic] came last week, to Mrs. Annette Jobs Gear[sic] of Fort Collins, saying that her husband, Capt. John H. Geer, pilot and squadron leader in a Liberator bomber group of the Eighth Army Air Force based in England, has been listed missing in action over Holland since Sept. 18.

Capt. Geer was graduated from the Steamboat Springs high school in 1933 and from the Colorado A. & M. college, Fort Collins, in forestry in the spring of 1942, and went verseas[sic] as a second lieutenant and has been promoted twice since. References to aerial action on September 18 leads his relatives to think his plane may have been shot down while ferrying supplies to air borne troops which landed in Holland about that time. The war department, however, gave no details of the action.

Captain Geer is a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Geer of Yampa. During his college career he was a star member of the college track team, specializing in the javelin throw.

He received a commission and wings at Frederick, Okla., August 30, 1943, and took advance training at Fort Worth and El Paso, Texas.

After going overseas last March he was promoted to first lieutenant May 25 and td[sic] captain August 25.

He had completed 25 missions over enemy occupied Europe, being awarded the Air Medal and four Oak Leak clusters.

While stationed in England he took in numerous track meets ol the army forces there.

He received a silver loving cup, a silver plane, and several medals won in competition in the shot-put, discus throw, and the 440-yard dash. Published in The Steamboat Pilot, October 12, 1944, Page 1.

This apparently is a cenotaph memorial in this cemetery. An additional cenotaph at Find A Grave Memorial# 56289974