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John Joseph Alexander Jr

Military

  • 2nd Lt Lawrence Cook Crew: Back Row L to R: Thomas Mikulka-TG; John J Alexander, Jr-WG; Milo Blakely-WG; Jay Joyce-RO; John R Kyler-BGT; John Booth-TT Front Row L to R: Emmett Bell-B; Donald Caylor-N (KIA); Robert Bangs-CP; Lawrence Cook-P

    2nd Lt Lawrence Cook Crew: Back Row L to R: Thomas Mikulka-TG; John J Alexander, Jr-WG; Milo Blakely-WG; Jay Joyce-RO; John R Kyler-BGT; John Booth-TT Front Row L to R: Emmett Bell-B; Donald Caylor-N (KIA); Robert Bangs-CP; Lawrence Cook-P

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Shot down by fighters and flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 February 1944 in B-17F #42-30423, Prisoner of War (POW).

Service

People

  • Robert Bangs

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 February 1944 in B-17F #42-30423. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • Emmett Bell

    Military | Major | Bombardier | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 February 1944 in B-17F #42-30423. Prisoner of War (POW). ...

  • Milo Blakely

    Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 Feb 1944 in B-17F #42-30423. Evaded (EVD). See the story of his evasion on his page at http://www.evasioncomete.be/fblakelme.html

  • John Booth

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and Flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 February 1944 in B-17F #42-30423. Prisoner of War (POW). ...

  • Donald Caylor

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and Flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 February 1944 in B-17F #42-30423. Wounded, captured, died of wounds on 9 February 1944. Died Of Wounds (DOW).

  • Lawrence Cook

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and Flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 February 1944 in B-17F #42-30423. Initially evaded, helped by Belgian citizens and members of the Comète evasion network. Arrested through denounciation on 28 March 1944. Prisoner...

  • Jay Joyce

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator/Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and Flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 February 1944 in B-17F #42-30423. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • John Kyler

    Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and Flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 February 1944 in B-17F #42-30423. Prisoner of War (POW).

  • Thomas Mikulka

    Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and flak on return from mission to Frankfurt on 4 Feb 1944 in B-17F 42-30423. Evaded (EVD). See the story of his evasion at http://www.evasioncomete.be/fmikulktj.html

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Units served with

  • 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few

    92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few

    Group
    The 92nd Group sometime after arrivial in the UK converted to the role of in-theater combat crew indocrination and training. For this role, the Group traded its B-17F complement and obtained the B-17E, mostly from the 97th BG which was departing for...

  • 407th Bomb Squadron

    407th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

Aircraft

  • 42-30423

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 29/5/43; Gore 31/5/43; Rapid City 16/6/43; Dow Fd 5/7/43; Assigned 407BS/92BG [PY-P] Alconbury 7/8/43; 326BS [JW-P]. Missing in Action Frankfurt 4 February 1944 with Pilot Lawrence H. Cook (initially evaded; arrested later); Co-pilot...

Missions

  • 8th Air Force 208

    4 February 1944
    The railroad marshalling yards at Frankfurt, Germany were focus of this mission, but other railroad marshalling yards in the area were attacked as well. Weather and navigational errors frustrate target acquisition.748 heavy bombers were despatched in a...

Associated Place

  • Alconbury

    Military site : airfield
    Alconbury had been constructed as a satellite airfield for RAF Upwood and Wyton and was used by RAF Squadrons: Nos. 15, 40 and 156. In preparation for the arrival of American heavy bombers, the base was developed in 1942 with the runways extended. When...

Events

Event Location Date
Born Wilmington, Delaware 18 September 1912
Lived in 1942

Wilmington, Delaware
Enlisted 23 September 1942

Camden, New Jersey
Prisoner of war 4 February 1944 – 1945

Interned at Stalag Luft 3 Sagan/Zagan, Poland. Forced-marched from there to Stalag 7A Moosburg, Germany. Liberated there by US troops 29 April 1945. NARA WWII POW record: "Returned to Military Control 27 August 1945."
Honorably discharged 9 October 1945
Buried 1973

John Alexander rests at the Cathedral Cemetery in Wilmington, Delaware
Died 21 January 1973
Nationality
American
Nickname
Not yet known
Service numbers
32363852
Highest rank
Sergeant
Role/job
Right Waist Gunner
Awards
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
15 September 2020 21:00:56 jmoore43 Changes to biography
Sources

Added a space to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Date Contributor Update
27 May 2020 08:22:55 ED-BB Changes to middlename and events
Sources

It's John J(oseph)...
MACR 2237
NARA WWII Enlistment record
WWII Draft Card
NARA WWII POW records
Veterans Affairs BIRLS death File
Date Contributor Update
22 May 2020 12:51:01 ED-BB Changes to service number, role, biography, events, person associations, place associations and mission associations
Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:16:05 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2237, 8th AF Losses

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