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Personal info

Full name
LA MAR, John Atwood
Date of birth
23 January 1920
Age
24
Place of birth
St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri
Hometown
Saint Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri

Military service

Service number
O-744282
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
701st Bombardment Squadron,
445th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
20 February 1944
Place of death
1 km north of Edemissen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 34 10

Immediate family

Members
Atwood A. La Mar (father)
Zoe J. La Mar (mother)
Norma (Sheridan) La Mar (wife)
John P. La Mar (son)

Plane data

Serial number
42-7569
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Sky Wolf
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the aviation industry
MACR: 2439

More information

2nd Lt John A. La Mar a graduate of Christian Brothers High School before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the U.S. Army at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on 17 April 1942 as a Private. He attended college for 1 year and was a salesman before he joined the army. He was married.

Statement of 2nd Lt George C. Sfarnas:
"I saw an enemy fighter go after Lt. Neal's ship and a few minutes later I saw the ship burst into flames."

The entire crew was killed and initially interred in a common grave in the Northeast corner of the cemetery of Edemissen on 22 February 1944.

After the war, 2nd/Lt John A. La Mar was transferred to the American Military Cemetery of Ardennes.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Danny van der Groen, www.abmc.gov, www.findagrave.com - Teddy Lamar, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, www.newspapers.com - St Joseph News Press Gazette 19 July 1945

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - St Joseph News Press Gazette 7 March 1944