Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
NEYLAND, John D
Date of birth
16 October 1921
Age
21
Place of birth
Williamstown, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Hometown
Berkshire County, Massachusetts

Military service

Service number
O-735912
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
544th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
25 July 1943
Place of death
In the mouth of the Eider River, 4 km from Vollerwiek, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
John B. Neyland (father)
Catherine M. Neyland (mother)
Catherine Neyland (sister)
Elizabeth Neyland (sister)
Frances Neyland (sister)
Marjory Neyland (sister)
Margaret Neyland (sister)
Bernard Neyland (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-3075
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Longhorn
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Blohm & Voss shipyards

More information

The Neyland family owned and operated the Neyland & Quinn Grocery Store in Williamstown, Massachusetts. In June 1929, Dan Neyland graduated from Williamstown High School. He attended Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, from 1939 until 1942.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Springfield, Massachusetts. After basic training at Maxwell Field, Alabama, he was transferred to Santa Ana, California. On 2 January 1943, he graduated as a bombardier from Victorville Field Flying School, California.

The plane suffered damage from flak and fell out of formation with the #3 engine smoking, and the entire nose shot up badly. One crewman was seen lying in the nose, apparently dead. Another fell from the nose and was thrashing about, apparently his chute wouldn't open. The aircraft was still under attack from the rear as it crashed in the mouth of the Eider River. It crashed into deep water, burned, and sank.

Three crew members survived and were taken prisoner; seven were killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Michel Beckers, Virginia Sheldon Callan, Marie-José Venner-Lijten, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, IDPF of Arlie R. Bridge

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Virginia Sheldon Callan, Charles F. Bridge II, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-1, Victorville Army Flying School, California.