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S/Sgt James E. Dirago, Jr., better known to his friends as Jimmie, was born in 1923 in Sheffield, Alabama. He was the only child of Jimmie E. & Frances Dirago. He graduated from Deshler High School in 1942.

S/Sgt Dirago voluntarily enlisted in the Army on March 2, 1943 at Ft. McClellan, Alabama. He was assigned to the 9th Air Force, 644th Bomber Squadron and was a charter member of the 410th Bomber Group, Light that was activated on July 1, 1943. He trained as a Tail Gunner in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Arizona before being deployed to England in March 1944. He entered combat in May 1944 by helping to prepare for the Invasion of Normandy (D-Day) by assaulting coastal defenses, airfields, V-Weapon sites and marshalling yards. After D-Day the 410th moved to Coulommiers, France in September 1944. He completed over 40 missions with the 410th.

Statement from Charles D. Renfrow, Captain, Air Corps, Pilot, 644th Bomb Sq.:
"Heavy, very accurate flak was encountered about one to two minutes before bombs were released. My bombs were released on my flight leader and then the flight made a turn to the left off the target exercising evasive action for six or seven minutes thereafter. Shortly after turning off the target my turret gunner, Cpl. Donald F. Holmquist, called and informed me that gasoline was streaming into his compartment and that the tunnel gunner, S/Sgt. Jimmie E. Dirago, Jr., had quit the ship immediately after the bombs were dropped. S/Sgt Dirago's chute was seen to open by various airmen of the second box, and there is a very good possibility that he was wounded by flak before he quit the ship. After flak had ceased it was very apparent that the bomb-bay fuel tank was leaking severely, and the undersigned informed the turret gunner to salvo his escape hatch and try to breathe fresh air. The bomb-bay tank was used until the engines quit running properly and then tanks three and four were turned on. At 1530 it was very apparent that tanks two and four would not keep the right engine running long enough to reach the home base and Parade was called to assist in locating the nearest suitable base. Landing was accomplished with both engines running, and was made at 1600 on U.S.A.A.F. Base A-69. Message was sent to home base at 1605 and since further instructions were not received the undersigned and his one gunner awaited until transportation was sent for them and returned to home base 29 October 1944."

He was an active Boy Scout and was quite frequently found at the waterfront of Camp Westmoreland on Shoal Creek near Florence, AL. As a Boy Scout he rose to the rank of Life Scout and attended the 1937 National Boy Scout Jamboree in Washington, D.C. He was honored after World War II with a Memorial Plaque from the BSA and a monument renaming the Waterfront at Camp Westmoreland, the “Jimmie E. Dirago, Jr. Waterfront”. Located at the “Old Waterfront” below the present day O.A. Lodge, this monument states: In grateful memory of James E. Dirago, Jr. who sealed his Scout Pledge to his Country with his life, this Waterfront is dedicated; Tennessee Valley Council; Boy Scouts of America; July 13, 1949.

His family was in the gas and oil business in the Shoals area and he was an only son, as such he was exempted from military service but begged his father to let him enlist. His father did so without his wife’s blessing. She never forgave Jimmie, Sr. for allowing her only son to go off to war.

Staff Sergeant Dirago was a member of the 9th Air Force, 644th Bomber Squadron, 410th Bomber Group, Light, based out of Coulommiers, France. He served as a crew member on a Douglas A-20G “Havoc” Light Bomber, Serial Number 43-9375.

Dirago’s plane, nicknamed the “Pauhuska Princess” based on the town near where he trained in Oklahoma, was hit with flak during a mission over Germany on October 28, 1944. The plane experienced damage and S/Sgt Dirago, as Mid Ship Tail Gunner lost communication to the rest of the plane and crew. Smoke and gasoline filled his end of the plane. Thinking the aircraft was damaged and going down, SSGT DiRago bailed out over Germany. The A-20 Havoc and remaining crew were able to make it back to their base in France safely. S/Sgt Dirago parachuted safely to the ground and landed just outside the town of Hermulheim, Germany. He was taken into custody by local police and treated for slight flak wounds.

According to research conducted in August 1945 by his friends, Sgt Sam Orr and Sgt Warren Funke, S/Sgt Dirago was taken first to the Butzweileer Air base for treatment of a leg wound. They also discovered that all Allied Airmen captured in this area were sent to the Oberusel Prisoner of War Camp near Frankfurt. From this point, there was no further history of SSGT Dirago’s whereabouts. He was never found and he was reported as Missing in Action. It is believed he was either killed during another bombing raid while being interrogated or was turned over to the Nazi SS for handling.

On October 29, 1945, Dirago was officially given a Finding of Death (FoD) as prescribed under Public Law 490. S/Sgt Dirago was awarded the Air medal with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, World War II Victory Medal, and Service Lapel Button WWII.