Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
CHAMPION, John F Jr - Date of
birth
unknown -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
unknown -
Hometown
Huntington Park, Los Angeles County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-768445 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
535th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
6 November 1944 - Place of
death
Hamburg-Ochsenwerder, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 9 | 18 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John F. Champion (father)
Betty J. Champion (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97330 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Chug-a-lug II aka Chug-a-Lug IV
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refineries
MACR: 10154
More information
Statement of Capt Ross G. Hanks, crew member of another B-17 in the group: "Moderate, accurate, tracking flak at the target. At the time the aircraft was hit only 2 or 3 puffs were seen. Right side of the plane seemed to be riddled and #3 engine was shot off. There was some smoke visible from the aircraft but no fire. When last seen the aicraft was nosing up about 3000 feet above the clouds and did not appear to be out of control. From 2 to 5 objects were seen to come out of aicraft but no parachutes were seen to open."According to surviving crew members, Lt Champion was trying to bail out through the navigators escape hatch but flames forced him to go back towards the bomb bays. However he couldn't escape through the bomb bays because the bombs were still on board.
Seven crew members were taken prisoner, two men were killed.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com
Photo source: Jac Engels