Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
WATSON, John Thomas - Date of
birth
20 October 1924 -
Age
20 -
Place of birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
31309579 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Nose Gunner -
Unit
790th Bombardment Squadron,
467th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
2 March 1945 - Place of
death
Near Dorsten, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| I | 16 | 5 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William Watson (father)
Mary E. Watson (mother)
Gerard W. Watson (brother)
Mary E. Watson (sister)
Jane A. Watson (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-51171 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Eli Swof Jr
Destination: Magdeburg, Germany
Mission: Combat
MACR: 12850
More information
Sgt John T. Watson enlisted in Boston, Massachusetts on 9 April 1943.Statement from Capt Malcolm B. Sturgis, Command Pilot:
"This is to certify that on the mission of 2 March 1945 a transmission was made over V.H.F. which concerned the position and mechanical difficulty of Blue 3-9, the call sign used by Lt Reid. In this transmission, Lt Reid called to advise the Command Piot that he was leaving the formation. One (1) engine was out at the time and the other engine on the same side was losing power. When instructed to hold altitude and drop back to the formation following Lincolm Blue, Lt Reid replied he was unable to hold altitude and was already behind the last unit in the Division column. When shaked if he wanted fighter escort called, he stated he had fighter escort. No further messages were received. The position at the time of transmission was in the area east of Osnabrück."
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / WWII Enlistment Record
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Arie-Jan van Hees