John Louis Jerstad

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Major John Louis Jerstad of the 93rd Bomb Group. First handwritten caption on reverse: 'Maj John Louis Jerstad as A/C.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '93 BG Major John Jerstad awarded posthumous MoH.' media-456719.jpg FRE 9847 Major John Louis Jerstad of the 93rd Bomb Group. First handwritten caption on reverse: 'Maj John Louis Jerstad as A/C.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '93 BG Major John Jerstad awarded posthumous MoH.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 9847 - Major John Louis Jerstad of the 93rd Bomb Group. First handwritten caption on reverse: 'Maj John Louis Jerstad as A/C.' Second handwritten caption on...

Major John Jerstad was Killed In Action (KIA) on Operation Tidal Wave onboard the B-24D Liberator, Hell's Wench.



John Jerstad enlisted as an aviation cadet at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 12, 1941. He trained at Ontario, California, and Luke Field, Arizona. He was commissioned on February 6, 1942 and served with the 98th and 93rd Bomb Groups at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. In October 1942, he went to Europe with the 93rd and flew B-24s with the 328th Bomb Squadron, as a captain. He was promoted to major in April 1943, and was assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing headquarters a month later. He was picked by Colonel Edward L. Timberlake, former commander of the 376th Bombing Group, "Ted's Traveling Circus", to be Ted Timberlake's chief operations officer.



By August 1943, Jersad had completed more than his tour of missions and was no longer directly connected with the 93rd Bomb Group. He had conducted many of the missions in an aircraft named, Jerk's Natural. "Jerk" was a reference to his own name, Jack Jerstad, and "Natural" referred to the fact the plane's serial numbers added to 7 and 11, was a "natural" in dice games. When Jerstad heard about Operation Tidal Wave, the upcoming low level bombing mission against the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, he volunteered to lead a formation of B-24s on the 18-hour, 2,400 mile round-trip mission to destroy the largest of the oil refineries at Ploesti, 30 miles north of Bucharest, Romania. This mission ended with five U.S. Air Force airmen, including Maj. Jerstad, earning the Medal of Honor, three, including Major Jerstad, posthumously. Sixty aircraft were lost on the mission.



Three miles from the target, Jerstad's bomber, named, Hell's Wench, was badly damaged and set aflame by enemy flak guns. More than 230 antiaircraft guns, supported by many barrage balloons and smoke pots, surrounded the refineries, with more than 400 fighters in the area. Ignoring the fact he was on fire and flying above a field suitable for a forced landing, Maj. Jerstad and his Group Commander Col. Addison Baker kept on course in order to lead their group to their target. After the bombs were released on the target, the fire in his aircraft became so intense that it made further progress impossible, and their B-24D, Hell's Wench, crashed into the target area. Col. Baker, Major Jerstad, and their crew were killed, and listed as missing in action. For these actions, Major Jerstad was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His family accepted the medal on his behalf during a presentation ceremony at Holy Communion Church in Racine, Wisconsin, October 28, 1943.

Connections

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Units served with

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 93rd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Three airmen of the 389th Bomb Group stand with a B-24 Liberator used as a Flight Assembly Ship. Image via Tim Bivens. Handwritten caption from Bivens: 'My friend remembers it being named "Bucksheesh Benny" that it was used to fly Jack Benny around USA shows. Says it flew in North Africa with Benny and was eventually assigned to 389th as a hack and later as a form-up ship. He thinks it was originally with another group (possibly 376th or 98th).' Handwritten caption on reverse: '389th BG Form-up ship.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11021584
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group Headquarters (93rd Bomb Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-280827
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer 93rd - Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17037959
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 329th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11019924
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18070690
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

A B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-23711) nicknamed "Jerk's Natural" of the 93rd Bomb Group at RAF Gambut, February 1943.
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Jerks Natural
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Hell's Wench
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Racine, Wisconsin 12 February 1918

Died

1 August 1943

Buried

Revisions

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Punctuation. - Kickapoo

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

Added details. - Kickapoo

Date
Contributordecwriter
Changes
Sources

NARA files verified Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Silver Star and the Medal of Honor. No NARA DFC file exists for Maj Jerstad, but could be lost in 93rd Bomb Group records.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Ploesti Sortie Report, 93rd Bomb Group

Removed associations to people who did not fly as a part of Jerstad's crew during his service or on board his aircraft Operation Tidal Wave.

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Black Sunday - Michael Hill ---- Into the Fire - Duane Schultz ---- Wikipedia - Major John L. Jerstad

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

personal collection

Date
ContributorKickapoo
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Sources

personal collection

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Date
Contributormillebr
Changes
Sources

TogetherWeServed.com; Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Cemeteries on Foreign Soil; Ancestry.com (Family Trees); fieldsofhonor-database.com

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Freeman, MOH Citation

John Louis Jerstad: Gallery (6 items)