Arthur Earl McVey was born on January 3, 1919, to Roman and Ethel Dawson McVey who lived in New Texas, Pennsylvania. He was one of eleven children. Arthur's father was a farmer.

Arthur moved to Nottingham sometime before 1940. He first worked as a farm laborer and then later a semi-skilled metal worker. 

Arthur entered service in the Army Air Corp on October 3, 1942. He was assigned to the 513th Bomb Squadron, 376th Bomb Group which flew B-24 Liberators Bombers. This was the same Bomb Group as hero Walter Bevan.

 The American Air Museum, located in England gives a synopsis of Arthur’s Squadron:

Constituted as 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on October 19, 1942 and activated in Palestine on October 31. Began combat immediately, using B-24 aircraft. 

Operated with Ninth AF from bases in the Middle East, Nov 1942-Sep 1943, and with Twelfth AF from Tunisia, Sep-Nov 1943. 

Attacked shipping in the Mediterranean and harbor installations in Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy to cut enemy supply lines to Africa. Struck airdromes, marshalling yards, and other objectives in Sicily and Italy after the fall of Tunisia in May 1943. 

Received a DUC for action against the enemy in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sicily, Nov 1942-Aug 1943. Participated in the famed low-level assault on oil refineries at Ploesti and received another DUC: nearing Ploesti on Aug 1, 1943 and realizing that it was off course, the group attempted to reach its assigned objective from another direction, but by that time enemy defenses were alerted and intense opposition forced the 376th to divert to targets of opportunity in the general target area.

Moved to Italy in Nov 1943 and operated with Fifteenth AF until Apr 1945. Engaged primarily in long-range missions to targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans to bomb factories, marshalling yards, oil refineries, oil storage facilities, airdromes, bridges, harbors, and other objectives. Received a DUC for attacking the oil industry at Bratislava on 16 Jun 1944. Also flew support and interdictory missions, assisting Allied forces at Anzio and Cassino during Feb-Mar 1944, supporting the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944, aiding the Russian sweep into the Balkans during the fall of 1944.

Staff Sergeant Arthur Earl McVey was killed in action on February 17, 1944. He is buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery the Nettuno, Italy.