John J McGrath
Military
media-36311.png
UPL 36311
The Francis C. SMEDLEY crew.
Standing, left to right : 2nd Lt. John J. McGrath, navigator; 1st Lt. Francis C. Smedley, pilot; 2nd Lt. William J. Hewett, co-pilot; 2nd Lt. George D. Griffin, bombardier.
In front, from left to right : S/Sgt. John G. Brown, right waist gunner; T/Sgt. Norbert E. Rhodes, engineer/top turret gunner; S/Sgt. Raymond E. Dean, tail gunner; S/Sgt. Harry C. Shoffner, left waist gunner; T/Sgt. Andrew Senetsky, radio operator; S/Sgt. Robert A. Lalumiere, ball turret gunner (who had been replaced by S/Sgt James E. Gallagher for the 1 May 1944 mission) - USAAF photo.
Standing, left to right : 2nd Lt. John J. McGrath, navigator; 1st Lt. Francis C. Smedley, pilot; 2nd Lt. William J. Hewett, co-pilot; 2nd Lt. George D. Griffin, bombardier.
In front, from left to right : S/Sgt. John G. Brown, right waist gunner; T/Sgt. Norbert E. Rhodes, engineer/top turret gunner; S/Sgt. Raymond E. Dean, tail gunner; S/Sgt. Harry C. Shoffner, left waist gunner; T/Sgt. Andrew Senetsky, radio operator; S/Sgt. Robert A. Lalumiere, ball turret gunner (who had been replaced by S/Sgt James E. Gallagher for the 1 May 1944 mission) - USAAF photo.
19 missions. Shot down by flak 1 May 1944, Belgium. Bailed out. Pilot killed. Prisoner of War (POW) one year in Stalag Luft III. Plane was 'Sunrise Serenade'
POW
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 730th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39541967
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sunrise serenade
- Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 730th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 18 January 1919 | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Zagan, Poland | 1 May 1944 | Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11 |
Revisions
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources
Added an association to Stalag Luft 3 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources
Added a POW event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
SOURCE: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=466&mtch=9&tf=F&q=Joh…
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources
Added an association to the A/C 'Sunrise Serenade' listed in the "Summary biography".
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self/MACR 4492