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name
MONAHAN, John Emmett - Date of
birth
14 January 1919 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Pleasant Mount, Wayne County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Wayne County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
13025820 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator -
Unit
324th Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
26 July 1943 - Place of
death
Niendorf, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 12 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Michael T. Monahan (father)
Mary E. (Gill) Monahan (mother)
Rita Monahan (sister)
Mary D. Monahan (sister)
Kathryn Monahan (sister)
Joseph Monahan (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3031 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Nitemare
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the shipyards
MACR: 201
More information
T/Sgt John E. Monahan graduated from Pleasant Mount Vocation School and was a grinder.He joined the Air Corps of the Army in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania on 18 August 1941.
The aircraft was hit by a combination of accurate anti-aircraft gun fire and enemy aircraft fire over the target. It first started to fall down from 27,000 feet out of control. The pilot evidently gained control of the airplane as it subsequently lost altitude in a low gradual glide following approximately the course taken by the formation but of necessity always falling behind.
The crew members of another airplane in the group noticed it a few miles southwest of Bremen on a course that would have allowed it to cross enemy coast just southwest of Bultrum Island. It was at 3,000 feet and slowly losing altitude with three enemy airplanes attacking it.
Seven crew members managed to bail out and were taken prisoner. Three men were killed in the crash. The bombardier, Robert Cadilek died later in a German hospital.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Lester
Family Tree
Photo source: Jac Engels, The Tribune - 8 September 1943