George F. McGunagle Sr., a retired captain of the Quincy Fire Department, died Wednesday in Carney Hospital in Dorchester. He was 79.

Mr. McGunagle was born in Quincy. He served in the Army from 1938 to 1941 and reenlisted at the outbreak of World War II.

He fought in Africa and Europe with the Army's First Division, "The Big Red One," in Africa and Europe and landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, his birthday. He was wounded in battle at Aachen, Germany.

He was awarded a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, and a Silver Star.

After the war, he worked for the fire department for 28 years until his retirement in 1976.

He leaves his wife, Ruth R. (Howard); five daughters, . . . three sons, . . . and 16 grandchildren.

A funeral Mass will be said at 9 a.m. tomorrow in Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Quincy. Burial will be in Mt. Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy.

[Published in the Boston Globe, 10 Mar. 2000, p. B7.]

George McGunagle (1920)