John J Askins Jr
MilitaryImage courtesy of Michael & Paul Askins
First Lieutenant John J. Askins, Jr. was a pilot with the 91st Bomb Group, 401st Squadron (Bassingbourn). He and his crew primarily flew B-17G S/N 42-97851, the "Qualified Quail". This aircraft was badly damaged on a mission to Cologne on October 15th 1944. Askins was shot down near Westeroden, Germany on November 2nd 1944, while flying "USA The Hard Way", S/N 44-6093, on a mission to bomb the infamous "Leunawerkes" synthetic fuel plant near Merseburg. This mission resulted in the loss of 13 91st BG aircraft, one of the highest single-day losses of the war.
He recalled: ‘When we were hit, I didn’t realize it was flak but thought it was an explosion from a leaking gas line near the top turret. The cockpit immediately filled with smoke. I was able to reach the auto-pilot and steered the plane to the left, out of formation, to avoid striking another plane’. He bailed out, after rescuing his flight engineer, whose parachute had caught fire, and became a Prisoner of War, interred first at Stalag Luft III, near Sagan, and later at Stalag VIIA, near Moosburg.
The Silver Star was awarded to him in July 1988 after a recommendation from his crew mate, radio operator Roger Armstrong, for conduct during the bailout from their damaged B-17 on November 2nd 1944.
Further details on the experiences of Askins and his crew are detailed in Armstrong's book "USA The Hard Way". (Quail House Publishing, 1991).
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-767031
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17131144
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38538861
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38545285
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 2 November 1944
Places
- Site type: USAAF heritage site
- Known as: AAM
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Oakland, California | 4 April 1922 | |
Other Prisoner of war |
Zagan (Sagan) Poland | 2 November 1944 - 29 April 1945 | Interred initially in Stalag Luft III, near Sagan, later moved to Stalag VIIA, near Moosburg. Liberated from Stalag VIIA on April 29th 1945 by elements of the U.S. 14th Armored Division. |
Revisions
Updated the location of the "POW" event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a S/N from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added an association to Stalag Luft 3 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Biography edited to include further background on Askins and where he was interred as a POW. Primary Source: "USA The Hard Way" by Roger Armstrong, (Quail House Publishing, 1991)
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- MACR 10141;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database.
American Air Museum text from displays.
Added service number, connections to other crew members, and last mission.
Paul Askins
(son of John J. Askins)
I am in possession of the Silver Star and POW medals that were my father's, First Lieutenant John J. Askins, Jr. The Silver Star was awarded to him in July 1988 after a recommendation from his crew mate, Roger Armstrong, for conduct during the bailout from their damaged B-17 on November 2nd 1944.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 10141