John Ray Lemons Jr
MilitaryFlew 8 missions in 445th BG. Shot down on Kassel mission 27 September 1944 in B-24 #4250383. Prisoner of War (POW). After many moves, liberated on 29 April 1945. Plane was 'King Kong'
AM/ POW
John R. Lemons
Flight Engineer/Gunner, 445th Bomb Group, Tibenham, England
On Sept 27, 1944 John was on this 8th mission when his plane was shot down by German fighters and he became a POW. John says that he was moved a number of times as US or Russian troops closed in on their camps. Finally ending up at Stalag VII in Moosburg. Here he was liberated by elements of Patton’s 3rd Army in April of 1945.
He was moved to Camp Lucky Strike near Paris for recovery and then put on a boat for home. With the war’s end a few months later he was discharged.
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: King Kong
- Unit: 445th Bomb Group 702nd Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Tivetshall
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Dallas, Texas | 4 November 1919 |
Revisions
Source: A biography John provided to the chapter when he joined. 3/22/16
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self, MACR 9390