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Personal info

Full name
COLBRY, John Lawrence
Date of birth
25 March 1918
Age
26
Place of birth
Skagit County, Washington
Hometown
Los Angeles County, California

Military service

Service number
39022722
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Engineer/Gunner
Unit
572nd Bombardment Squadron,
391st Bombardment Group, Medium
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
18 April 1944
Place of death
English Channel, 2 miles off Calais, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Ira R. Colbry (father)
Lena M. (Gugrin) Colbry (mother)
Vera L. Colbry (sister)
James H. Colbry (brother)
Elva L. Colbry (sister)
Donald G. Colbry (brother)
Galdys E. Colbry (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-95837
Data
Type: B-26B
Destination: Sangatte Military Installations OCC, France
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 4027

More information

"I saw a burst of flak hit no. 6 airplane, second box, under the nose wheel, about 15 feet below the airplane. The airplane still intact, nosed over in a dive. I followed the airplane half way down and then our plane banked away and I lost sight of it. Later, I saw an oil slick where the airplane hit the water. I did not see any parachutes or dinghies."
- Statement by S/Sgt Jack C. Petrie.

Source of information: Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: FOHF, 391st Bomb Group