John William Disher

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-24722.png UPL 24722 Official USAAF photo. Original caption :"Crew of the 407th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" after being rescued and brought to an airbase in England. 11 September 1943..."
The legend lists all men as Staff or Technical Sergents, except Pilot Captain Frederick Prasse (standing far right) and has typos in some names. One man is missing from the ten-man crew on board # 42-29965 which had to ditch in the English Channel on return from the 6 September 1943 mission to Stuttgart.
Standing, left to right : Tail Gunner S/Sgt Rolland A. Galloway; Radio Operator T/Sgt Laurence E. Dennis; Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Joseph F. Thornton; Bombardier 2nd Lt Fred Champion; Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt Otto F. Trammer; Pilot Captain Frederick T. Prasse.
Front, from left to right : Engineer/Top Turret Gunner S/Sgt John Geegee; Ball Turret Gunner John W. Disher; Left Waist Gunner S/Sgt Charles H. Hartnett. (The missing man from the photo is Navigator 2nd Lt David C. Besbris).

Added media

Object Number - UPL 24722 - Official USAAF photo. Original caption :"Crew of the 407th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" after being rescued...

Served as Ball Turret Gunner when shot down on 6 September 1943 in B-17 #42-29965. Plane ditched in Channel. Slighly injured in the ditching, returned to base like the other nine men on board who were rescued by a French boat. Flew a total of 25 missions with the 92nd Bomb Group.

Flew on a second tour with the 100th Bomb Group and was killed on his 18th operation with that Group on the 18 March 1945 mission to Berlin. He served as Radar Controller/Spot Jammer that day on board B-17 # 43-38861. Killed in Action (KIA) near "Gage" (?), Germany in B-17 'Sweet Nancy II' #43-38861.

Connections

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Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 418th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39340239
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11998665 /O-674111
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39169650
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier / Togglier / Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36048962
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Sweet Nancy II
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 351st Bomb Squadron

Missions

A B-24 Liberator of the 467th Bomb Group flies over Berlin during a mission. 18 March 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: '18/3/45 Berlin.'
  • Date: 18 March 1945

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Enlisted

Jefferson Barracks, St Louis, Missouri, United States 12 December 1941 as a Private in the Air Corps

Other

Rescued

English Channel 6 September 1943 Was Ball Turret Gunner on board of 42-29965, which went down in the Channel for lack of fuel on return from the Stuttgart mission. All ten men on board rescued by a French boat.

Other

Killed In Action (KIA)

near Magdeburg, Germany 18 March 1945 serving as Radar Controller/Spot Jammer on B-17 # 43-38861 - mission to Berlin.

Born

Missouri, United States
Fredericktown, Madison County, Missouri, United States

Buried

Initially buried in Germany, John Disher's remains were reburied at Margraten after the war. He rests at Plot C, Row 18, Grave 1.

Revisions

Date
ContributorBroncobob
Changes
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My Uncle

Date
ContributorBroncobob
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ContributorED-BB
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Modified detail in Bio (rescue 6 September 1943)

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Brought in information from duplicate record. Sources:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 13144 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / user 'broncobob78'

Date
ContributorED-BB
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Added photo

Date
ContributorED-BB
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Added photo

Date
Contributorbroncobob78
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Per his nephew

Date
ContributorAAM
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Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey pp. 268, 341

John William Disher: Gallery (1 items)