O. M. Cherry of Irving, Texas December 12, 1922 – January 24, 2019 Olvin M. “O.M.” Cherry, 96, a resident of Irving since 1963, former POW during World War II, and a retired Greyhound Bus Driver for many years, died suddenly Thursday, January 24, 2019 at an Irving hospital. Born December 12, 1922 in Pickton, Texas, he was the son of the late Olvin Curtis Cherry and Cloris Mae Norton Cherry. O.M. enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1942 at the age of nineteen.
He was trained for duty in the war with Germany and was sent overseas to England. He was a top turret flight engineer on a B-17 Bomber in September 1943. The top turret is the clear bubble on top of the airplane directly behind the pilot.
He was completing his last mission (#25) when the plane was hit with flac from the Germans. The plane had one engine on fire, another running wild and a third completely out. The crew bailed out except for O.M. Cherry and his pilot Maurice who remained in the plane until they were about 1000 feet from the ground.
Each jumped from the escape hatch within seconds of each other. That was the last time they saw each other for fifteen years. After hiding in the woods O. M. was captured by the Germans.
His pilot Maurice escaped capture and walked out of France, and finally made his way back to England. O.M. was held prisoner in Stalag Luft 3, a prison camp at Sagan, Germany. Royal Vaughn was held there in a different compound.
During his time in prison he lost 50 pounds. His diet consisted of dehydrated cabbage and saw-dust bread. He was released on May 13, 1945.
The released prisoners marched 300 miles in the snow, sleeping in barns when they could. Many of his fellow prisoners died along the way and most suffered from frost bite. A.M. was able to fly out of Germany to Brussels and then traveled by train to Lucky Strike France.
O.M. did not meet his son Doug who was born while he was away until the boy was twenty-one months old. His wife, Cora and son accepted the Air Medal and Three Leaf Clusters awarded to O.M. in Ceremonies held at Dallas Love Field. O.M. married Cora Estelle Blount February 1, 1942 in Cooper, Texas.
They moved to Irving in 1963 from Barstow, Texas near Pecos. He worked for Greyhound Bus Line for 35 years. He was a member of the Greyhound Retiree’s Group, the POW group, and Oak View Baptist Church.
Cora preceded him in death May 6, 2001. He later married Dolores Jean Hackathorn Howell October 12, 2002 in Irving. Preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Mary Blount, his wife Cora in 2001, his daughter Cecelia Heflin in 2013, and two great grandchildren, Warren Williams in 2008 and Michael “Mikey, Jr.” Wilson in 2017, he is survived by his wife, Dolores Cherry of Irving; his children, Doug Cherry and his wife Martha of Carlsbad, New Mexico, Jeanne Walker of Blum, Texas, and Randy McKenzie and wife Stephanie of Weatherford; grandchildren, Joyce Paull, Elizabeth Cass, Mark McGuffin, Todd Walker, Amy McDaniel, Robin White, Jaiden McKenzie, Conor McKenzie, Colton McKenzie, Kaitlynn McKenzie, Stacy Cody and Jason Heflin; great grandchildren Reba Long, Andrew Easley, Amber Easley, Kayla Cass, Aeryka Luedeman, Wesley Walker, Micah Walker, Savannah Walker, Mackenzie Culberson, Mason White, Kaitlin Aguilar and Kristen McGuffin, Brittany Pike, Lillian Edwards, Trenton Heflin, and Anyssa Heflin; great-great grandchildren, Anson Long, Charlotte Long, Wyatt Walker, Mia Aguilar, Cayson Erenberger, Payton Walker and Karter Luedeman.
Also surviving O.M. is his blended family, Dolores’s children, Walter Howell and his wife Lin of Jacksonville, Florida, Linda Landmon and her husband David of Rowlett, Texas, Beverly Prickett and her spouse Gloria of Irving, and George Howell and wife Kelly of Celina, Texas; grandchildren, Lewis McDonald, Lucas McDonald, Thomas Shearer, Alisha Smith, Jason Prickett, Freddy Prickett, Lawson Howell, Laney Howell, and Lauren Howell; great grandchildren, Genesis Shearer Wilson, Corbin Shearer, Kylie Prickett, Connor Smith, Walter Howell, and Holly Prickett. (Editor’s note: If any name was left out, please know it was unintentional. ) The family will receive friends 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at Donnelly’s Colonial Funeral Home, 606 West Airport Freeway in Irving.
The funeral will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2019 at Oak View Baptist Church, 1004 South Story Road in Irving, 75060. Burial with U.S. Air Force honors will be 2:30 p.m. Thursday, January 31, 2019 at Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway in Dallas, TX 75211. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Memphis, TN or to Cal Farley’s Boys Home in Amarillo, TX.
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