Hometown : Buena Park, California

Service number : 19179996

Aircraft : B-24D Liberator Bomber, 41-23810 - Tarfu

Squadron: 409th Bomb Squadron - Group : 93rd Bomb Group - Air Force : 8th Air Force

Died : KIA - Jan 4, 1944

SSgt. John M. Larsen was a Waist and Tail Gunner on the B-24D, named, Tarfu, for, "Things Are Really Fouled Up", from the 93rd Bomb Group, the 409th Bomb Squadron, in the 8th Air Force from Britain, (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa for Operation Tidal Wave to Ploesti, Romania. SSgt. Larsen survived the Ploesti mission and returned to safely to the Lete airbase at Benghazi, Libya. (RTB). 1 Aug 1943.

After the Ploesti mission, SSgt. Larsen returned to the U.K with his crew in, Tarfu, and the 8th Air Force. He was Killed In Action (KIA), when his airplane, Tarfu, was shot down and lost on a mission to Kiel, Germany. The airplane was hit by flak, severing the flight controls, causing a complete loss of control of the aircraft. Tarfu, crashed southwest of Süderschmedeby, south of Frensburg, Germany. 4 Jan 44. 6 KIA - 4 POW. MACR 8342



Statement from TSgt. Thomas J. Adams:

"Our plane, Tarfu, crashed after the control cables had been shot out by anti aircraft rounds. The plane went down in a spin. There was not much time to get out. Therefore, those of us in good condition could not help the wounded men that could not help themselves. The aircraft, Tarfu, crashed 2 km southwest of Suderschmedeby, south of Flensburg, Germany. 4 Jan 44 - MACR 8342.

SSgt. Larsen's Awards : Distinguished Flying Cross - European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal - Purple Heart - WWII Victory Medal.