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Personal info

Full name
WATSON, John Thomas
Date of birth
20 October 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Hometown
Suffolk County, Massachusetts

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