John Andrew Villars

Military

Assigned to 767BS, 561BG, 15AF USAAF. 1st combat mission. Failed to Return (FTR) Blechammer mission in B-24 42-51319 'Welcome Wagon'; mauled by fighters, failed to escape A/C prior to disintegration. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 10651



Awards: PH.

Connections

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Units served with

A B-24 Liberator of the 461st Bomb Group, 15th Air Force drops supplies over a Prisoner of War camp in Austria, May 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: '9 May 1945, Last 'combat' mission of 461st BG to British POW camp near Villack, Austria. #33 flown by Lt John Stegman- 765th BS.'

461st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51319) of the 461st Bomb Group, 15th Air Force. Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-51319 B-24J-5-DT shown in France.'

42-51319

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Welcome Wagon
  • Unit: 461st Bomb Group 767th Bomb Squadron

Places

Torretta

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Cerignola #3

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Detroit, MI 22 November 1924 Son of Joseph ?? and Marguerite T Villars.

Died

Prague, Czech 17 December 1944 Failed to Return (FTR) Blechammer mission in B-24 42-51319 'Welcome Wagon'; mauled by fighters, failed to escape A/C prior to disintegration. KIA MACR 10651

Buried

Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Alsip, IL Re-Interred Holy Sepulchre Cemetery Alsip, Cook County, IL

Based

Torretta 17 December 1944 Assigned to 767BS, 561BG, 15AF USAAF.
Chicago, IL

Enlisted

Chicago, IL Chicago, Illinois

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/28684132
https://www.fold3.com/image/310763104
https://www.fold3.com/image/655083598
https://www.fold3.com/image/319046876
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66626427/john-a-villars