Memorial

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1st Lt John N. Fredd Jr. was a mechanic and repairman before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the U.S. Army in Wilmington, Delaware on 12 March 1942.

Sgt Walter H. Lucia:
"On 19 July 1944, our group was on a mission to bomb the target at Munich, Germany. I was flying as tail turret gunner in ship #519 in the lead position of the first attack unit. Lt Fredd was flying ship #42-78284 in the #6 position in the lead element of the second attack unit. About three minutes before target time, Lt Fredd’s ship was hit by flak in the bomb-bay. Fire broke out and the ship fell out of formation and dived down about five hundred feet. He dropped his bombs and then went into a dive. I saw four parachutes leave the ship. I did not see the ship explode because it passed out of my line of vision. According to my navigator’s report, the coordinates were 4809N 1127E. The time was 1155."

Sgt Seth P. Staples:
"He was trapped by flames, ship blew up before he could bail out."