Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
LYNCH, John D Jr
Date of birth
21 November 1916
Age
27
Place of birth
Clark County, Indiana
Hometown
Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana

Military service

Service number
O-676967
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
547th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 April 1944
Place of death
200 meters south of Leutstetten, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
Plot Row Grave
G 9 16

Immediate family

Members
John D. Lynch (father)
Margaret E. (Capehart) Lynch (mother)
Bertha Neely (sister)
June (Pennington) Lynch (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-38158
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Jean
Destination: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Dornier aviation industry
MACR: 4352

More information

2nd Lt John D. Lynch graduated from Purdue University in 1940 with a degree in agriculture. He was a teacher of vocational agriculture and sciences at Rockport High School.

The airplane was hit by flak in the cockpit area during the bomb run and exploded in midair. It crashed in Leutstetten on the railroad tracks of the Munich-Starnberg Line.

Two crew members were able to bail out and were taken prisoner; eight were killed.

The deceased crew members were initially buried at the prisoners of war cemetery of Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany on 3 May 1944.

Source of information: André Koch, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 Census, www.fold3.com - MACR 4352, http://www.8thafhs.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Dan Phelan, http://americanairmuseum.com, www.newspapers.com - The Indianapolis News - 12 May 1944, Arie-Jan van Hees Bombardier Class Book 43-06, Big Spring Flying School, Texas, Purdue University 1940