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Personal info

Full name
LILLEY, John A
Date of birth
27 November 1922
Age
20
Place of birth
unknown
Hometown
Lapeer County, Michigan

Military service

Service number
O-676520
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
401st Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
10 October 1943
Place of death
Broeklanderweg
Apeldoorn, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
B 19 9

Immediate family

Members
Hazen Lilley (father)
Esther Lilley (mother)
Joyce Lilley (sister)
Julia Lilley (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-37737
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Tennessee Toddy
Destination: Münster, Germany
MACR: 941

More information

Tennessee Toddy, which was flown by Lt. Earle R. Verrill. It left the formation near the German-Dutch border with No. 4 engine feathered and No. 2 smoking. The aircraft crashed northeast of Apeldoorn, Holland after the crew had bailed out. Most of the crew were taken prisoner but one crewmember was killed when his parachute caught on the horizontal stabilizer. That crew member was John Lilley.

Source of information: Michel Beckers, Ann Harris, www.wwiimemorial.com, MACR 941

Photo source: Michel Beckers, Anne Harris, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-05, Big Spring Flying School, Texas.