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Personal info

Full name
KING, John M
Date of birth
5 January 1923
Age
21
Place of birth
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Hometown
Tom Green County, Texas

Military service

Service number
18054679
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Engineer
Unit
360th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 June 1944
Place of death
Tressin, 8 km east of Lille, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 33 6

Immediate family

Members
Wilbur R. King (father)
Emma A. (Cravat) King (mother)
Wilford King (brother)
A. C. King (brother)
Norma King (sister)
Lawrence A. King (brother)
Virginia King (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31432
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Old Glory
Destination: Tressin, France
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 6541

Biography

Not availalbe

More information

John M. King attended San Angleo Central High School with the class of 1941.

He was a clerk when he joined the Regular Army in San Angelo, Texas on 16 May 1941.

The airplane received a direct hit from flak, just after bombs away. It was hit just back of #3 engine, probably in the gas tank. Immediately it burst into flames, spun off to the right and went down. Both wings snapped off as it went down.

Only T/Sgt Robert H. Johnson bailed out could and evaded capture. The remaining eight crew members were killed in the crash. They were initially buried at the village cemetery of Tressin on 23 June 1944.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.ancestry.com - 1940 census

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Gary Moncur