John Dickey Bowser
MilitaryJohn Bowser was a Navigator in the 388th Bomb Group. He is mentioned in War correspondent Ernie Pyle's book "Brave Men", together with his Pilot Lt William T. White. On return from a mission to Berlin on 19 May 1944, their B-17 Fortress #42-107160 ditched in the North Sea, 25 miles off Great Yarmouth and all ten men on board were immediately rescued by a nearby Allied minesweeper A British Air-Sea Rescue Craft brought the crew members back to land.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12157532
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39455994
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17078242
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37395393
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Joe
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 19 May 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
9 September 1922 | Seward, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania | |
Enlisted |
23 April 1942 | Altoona, Pennsylvania | |
Died |
15 February 2011 | ||
Johnstown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania | |||
Buried |
John Bowser rests at the Forest Park Cemetery in Houston, Texas |
Revisions
http://www.8thafhs.com/get_one_mission.php?mission_id=963
Freeman's "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story"
NARA WWII Enlistment records
2003 postings by daughter Becky Hicks about her father having been mentioned in War correspondent Ernie Pyle's book "Brave Men", together with his Pilot Lt William T. White.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.388bg.info/Personnel.html