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Personal info

Full name
VACHOUT, John James
Date of birth
2 November 1911
Age
32
Place of birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Hometown
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
36352591
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
365th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
30 July 1944
Place of death
unknown

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
John Vachout (father)
Mary (Hader) Vachout (mother)
Mammie Vachout (sister)
George Vachout (brother)
Helen E. Vachout (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-29690
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Old Faithful
Destination: Warnemünde, Germany
Mission: bombing of the Arado-Heinkel aviation industry

More information

S/Sgt John J. Vachout was employed by the Chicago Burlington Quincy Rail Road.

He enlisted in Chicago, Illinois on 22 June 1942.

The mission took place on 29 July 1943.

The airplane was severely damaged after being hit by enemy fighters. It managed to reach England and crash-landed at RAF Oulton. S/Sgt Vachout had bailed out due to a lack of oxygen. His remains were never found. He was declared officially dead one day and one year after he was reported missing in action.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record,
www.ancestry.com - 1920/1930 Census, www.americanairmuseum.com, www.fold3.com, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Fred Munckhof