Howard Dana Boone was born August 30, 1920 in Utica, NY to John P. Boone (1877-1954) and Alma M. Davies (1877-1950). His parents were married on January 9, 1901 in Utica, NY. He was baptized on March 27, 1921 in the East Utica Presbyterian Church and was the youngest of six children which included Kenneth (1901-1992), Carleton (1903-1948), Frances (1907-1979), Merwin (1909-1995) and Herbert (1912-1963). His dad worked for the New York Central Railroad. He attended Kemble School and, according to news clips of the day, graduated from Utica Free Academy in 1939. (I could not find any mention or picture of him in the 1939 UFA Yearbook). He was a member of, and the Master Counselor for, the Mohawk Valley Order of DeMolay. His name appeared often in the local papers as part of theater troupes putting on performances. He competed in speaking contests and was a member of Sayre Memorial Church. He also played softball, taking part in the Community Center League.

After high school he attended Ithaca College and registered for the draft while there. He reported being 5'-8 1/2" tall, weighing 154 pounds with hazel eyes and brown hair. He continued his love of theater while at Ithaca College playing the leading role in "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (March 1942) and appearing in other performances as well. Howard didn't wait to be drafted, enlisting in the Army on April 11, 1942 through Syracuse, NY while still a student at Ithaca College. He entered the service with number 12072650.

He trained for gunnery and radio operations at various bases including Keesler Field, Mississippi, Gowen Field, Idaho and Sioux City, Iowa. While stationed at Keesler Field, he married Dorothy Jane Camp on December 14, 1942 in Biloxi Mississippi. (Newspapers report this but I was unable to find any marriage records for them). In the spring of 1943 the 445th Bomb Group was formed at Gowen Field, Idaho and in August 1943 then Sgt. Boone was transferred from Gowen Field to Sioux City, Iowa and assigned to the 701st Bomb Group. He got a 6 day furlough around this transfer. In October 1943 the 445th was being staged to Tibenham, England (via Puerto Rico, Brazil, Senegal, South Africa and Morocco). By the first week of December 1943 they were in England.

On January 7, 1944 the 445th flew mission #178, to hit the I.G. Farben Industries chemical plant at Ludwigshafen, Germany. T/Sgt. Boone was the radio operator aboard a B-24 Serial Number 41-29119. During the return from the mission the squadron struggled to maintain positioning which contributed to T/Sgt. Boone's plane running out of gas and crashing near Wetheringsett some 14 miles from Tibenham. Originally reported as Missing in Action, T/Sgt. Boon's remains were recovered one week later when the wreckage was salvaged. (See MACR 15103 for more details).

His remains were buried in the Cambridge Cemetery on January 18, 1944. He received the Air Medal posthumously on March 13, 1944 as per General Orders No. 139 of the 8th Air Force. In July 1948, during the government's body recovery program, his body was returned home and buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, NY after a memorial service held at the home of his parents.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

"2 Utica Men Reported Killed in Action", <no date, page or paper details were legible on the electronic image>, captured at Fultonhistory.com with a search on "Howard Boone".

445th Bombardment Group (Heavy) website at http://www.445bg.org/mission-10-1.html accessed on April 12, 2026.

Dad's FAG: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213442512/john_p-boone: accessed April 11, 2026), memorial page for John P. Boone (11 Feb 1877–27 Feb 1954), Find a Grave Memorial ID 213442512, citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by PaPasgirl (contributor 48623246).

His FAG: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213473864/howard_d-boone: accessed April 11, 2026), memorial page for TSGT Howard D. Boone (30 Aug 1920–7 Jan 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 213473864, citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by PaPasgirl (contributor 48623246).

Missing Air Crew Report 15103, U.S. Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs), WWII, 1942-1947, 1944, 41-29119.

Mom's FAG: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173817899/alma_m-boone: accessed April 11, 2026), memorial page for Alma M Davies Boone (4 Dec 1877–1 Apr 1950), Find a Grave Memorial ID 173817899, citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by Kristine Pecheone (contributor 48053098).

"Funeral Rites Listed for 2 Air Force Sergeants", Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, July 26, 1948, pg. 18.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 00851; Reel: 78

National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Report No. 69: January 23, 1944, Record Group 92: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General; Series: General Correspondence Relating to Organizations; NAID: 28268219.

Obituary for John P. Boone, 77, Retired Boilermaker, from his Find A Grave.

Presbyterian Historical Society; Philadelphia, PA, USA; US, Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1907; Book Title: Register 1865-1974; Accession Number: V Mi46 Ut328wr

"Sgt. Boone's body Arrives For Burial", Rome Sentinel, Rome, NY, July 26, 1948, pg. 3.

Year: 1930; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0122; FHL microfilm: 2341356

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02861; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 67-60

Supporting Documents