John William Disher
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
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
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39076093 and O-677325
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot; Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33225173
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
Missions
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
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'
MACR 13144
NARA WWI Enlistment Records
https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=personnel&id=2094…
https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=personnel&id=1316…
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