Memorial

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1st Lt John H. Losh attended 4 years of high school and worked in a wholesale, before he enlisted at Fort Jay, Governers Island, New York on 11 June 1942.

Lt Losh was taken prisoner in the vicinity of Sankt-Vith, Belgium on 21 December 1944 and was taken to Stalag XIII-C in Hammelburg, Germany. He was liberated during the famous Hammelburg raid of Taskforce Baum on 27 March 1945. Ultimately, he was recaptured and had to march to another camp. During that march his group ended up in Nuremberg. Included in the group were Father Cavanaugh and Lt. Jim Keough, who was close with Losh.

The city was ravaged by RAF bombers for several years. Its train yards and manufacturing center were under constant threat. Upon arrival, the POWs were left out in the open not far from the rail center. As they lingered, air raid sirens went off. The German guards ran for the nearest shelters, but the POWs were left to fend for themselves. RAF bombers, acting as pathfinders, dropped flares directly over their position. After the last bombing run was over Keough discovered that Lt Losh was hit. He was lying face down in a crater, but he was still alive. Bomb fragments had hit him in the side, tearing through vital organs. A shirt was wrapped around his stomach to hold in his guts. Cavanaugh reached down and cradled his head. Losh asked Cavanaugh if he was going to be allright. No one really knew, but he assured the grievously injured officer that he would be okay.

Lt Losh died a few days later in a hospital for British POWs.