Multi City Honor Mission: USNR Lt. Jay Ross Manown Jr., WWII Veteran KIA/MIA, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
22 Oct 24 |
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Lieutenant Jay Ross Manown, Jr., USNR, a courageous World War II Naval aviator is returning home to Kingwood, West Virginia, to be laid to rest with full military honors. Tragically, Manown and his crew were shot down in the Naval airstrikes at Palau in the western Pacific Ocean on September 10, 1944.
Lt. Manown was born January 19, 1918, in Kingwood, West Virginia. He was the beloved son of Jay Ross Manown and Ella Craig Manown and brother of Elaine Manown Shonk. His niece, Rebecca Shonk Sheets, and nephew, John Shonk IV, along with many cousins will welcome Jay home.
Jay Manown was well known throughout Preston County, having attended schools in Kingwood and graduating from Kingwood High School. He was an avid woodworker; his beautiful pieces are treasured by his family. He was a senior at West Virginia University studying mining engineering when he entered active combat duty after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He graduated from the Anacosta, Virginia, and Pensacola, Florida, naval air training schools and served two years as a flight instructor at Pensacola.
After this tour of duty, he was ordered to the Alaskan Theater where he served fourteen months. He returned to the United States and was then sent to the Pacific Ocean Areas. He served in Hawaii and took part in naval actions against the Gilbert, Marshall, Caroline, and Philippine Islands. A decorated pilot, Lt. Manown was described in a postwar account as a ‘bold and intrepid aviator’ by Stephen Mihm in the article, “Recovering the Lost Aviators of World War II,” Smithsonian Magazine, March 2024. At age 26, he served as the second in command of his squadron (VT20) on the U.S.S. Enterprise. During an airstrike against the Japanese in the battle of Peleliu, Lt. Manown and his crew Anthony DiPetta, the gunner, and Wilbur Mitts, the radioman and navigator, left the deck of the Enterprise on that fateful morning September 10, 1944. They took a fatal hit, spinning wildly into the sea. Without any evidence of survivors, Manown and his crew were declared missing presumed dead. The Navy declared the remains nonrecoverable.
Remarkable dedication and technology have allowed many remains to be identified thanks to the Navy’s DPAA modern genetic testing and the untiring efforts of Project Recover. The family of Jay Manown expresses its heartfelt gratitude to the Navy Casualty Office and Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and Project Recover. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Project Recover Foundation, 60211 Rolled Rock Way, Bend, OR 97702, or www.projectrecover.org.
October 25, 2024 — 8:30 AM
9002 University Blvd
Moon Township, Pennsylvania 15108
Ride Captain:
Sr. Ride Captain
Jim Shaw – PA
412-217-5967
Jim Turner – WV
Rowlesburg-Monkey1@hotmail.com
304-698-1111
Gary Parkhill – WV
cherokeep@aol.com
304-518-9245
Instructions:
Briefing: 8:45 AM
More instructions will be given at the Ride Briefing.
After briefing we will be going to the Park and Ride by the Sheetz.
University Park and Ride
9000 University Blvd
Moon Township, Pennsylvania 15108
https://maps.app.goo.gl/
If you will be escorting part of this or the whole way to
Kingwood Funeral Home and Crematory
295 South Price Street
Kingwood, WV 26537 (We WILL NOT BE STOPPING FOR FUEL.)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/
Make sure you have enough fuel before leaving Sheetz.
Flags will not be provided.
If you have large bike flags, please bring them.
Water will not be provided, please bring your own.
