Defiance County to honor a fallen hero

A Belgium couple and the son of a Defiance County World War II airman will be in the city Wednesday to honor a fallen hero. A Purple Heart wreath for U.S. Army Air Corps Staff Sgt. Jennings Greuter will be placed at the Defiance County War Memorial at the Defiance County Courthouse at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The public is invited to attend the ceremony. The wreath will be laid to honor Greuter as well as all veterans from the memorial who would have earned the Purple Heart. Greuter was a tail gunner on a B-17 with the 96th Bomber Group’s 38th Bomber Squadron. During his eighth mission, Greuter’s B-17 was shot down over Frankfurt, Germany, on May 12, 1944. Greuter was killed in the crash. Out of the 10-man crew only four survived and they were captured as prisoners of war.