Missing information?

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

Submit

Personal info

Full name
MILLER, John Roy
Date of birth
9 May 1922
Age
21
Place of birth
Kern County, California
Hometown
Los Angeles, California

Military service

Service number
O-680481
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
525th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
29 November 1943
Place of death
North Sea, near Petten, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Burl L. Miller (father)
Nellie M. (Wade) Miller (mother)
William F. Miller (brother)
Beulah A. Miller (sister)
Margaret Miller (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-29787
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Wilder Nell II
Destination: Bremen, Germany
MACR: 1332

More information

2nd Lt John R. Miller attended high school for four years and was employed at Texas Oil Company.
He volunteered for the Army Air Corps on 21 March 1942 at Minter Field, Bakersfield, California and was sent overseas in September, 1943.

Sgt Schooley Jr. (Tail Gunner), the lone survivor, states that the plane was not hit over Germany while on their bombing mission but was but shot down over the Netherlands by ground fire.

In accordance with an eye witness, the plane was followed by two German fighters and the bomber crew threw some thing out. The bomber made a crash-landing at sea with the nose to the south. The German fighters circle above the bomber but didn't fire. At least 4 crew members climbed into a dinghy and a few others were floating with their life jackets on in the sea. It was tidal and the sea was rough. Suddenly, a machine gun opened fire.

Sgt Schooley reached a pier and was picked up by the Germans after a German officer stopped the shooting. The other crew members were killed by the fire or drowned. The Wilder Nell II was "shot down" by Erich Bucholz in a Bf (ME) 109, type G-6 who claimed the victory.

Source of information: Michel Beckers, Terry Hirsch, MACR 1332, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census

Photo source: Astrid van Erp, Piet Glas, The Bakersfield Californian - 24 September 1945