John Stukus

Military

John Stukus was Pilot of B-24 #42-7484, shot down over Belgium on return from the Frankfurt mission on 29 January 1944. Immediately captured after landing near Waterloo, Belgium. Prisoner of War (POW). NOTE : his grave marker has his last name as Stukas (all official documents – Enlistment record, POW record, Air Medal card, MACR 2548, Veterans BIRLS Death file - have his last name as STUKUS…)

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 392nd Bomb Group.

392nd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Marshall Combs Crouch

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 579th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20939620 at enlistment, then O-744050
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

James Reid Dykes

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 579th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34445240
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator Gunner

Lester E Gentry

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 579th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18086645 at enlistment, then O-678355
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Ronald Robert Lindlow

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 579th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39004811 at enlistment, then O-683192
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

William Reinhold Mattson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 579th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11088221
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner/Flight Engineer

Aircraft

42-7482

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Shack Rat
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 577th Bomb Squadron

42-7484

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Sally Ann
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron

Places

Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.

Stalag Luft I

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Chicago, Illinois 4 July 1918

Enlisted

15 January 1941

Other

Bailed out

29 January 1944 of B-24 #7484 over Belgium

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 29 January 1944 - 14 June 1945 Interned at Stalag Luft 1, Barth, Germany – Returned to Military Control 14 June 1945

Died

29 August 1990
Chicago, Illinois

Buried

John Stukus rests at the Bay Pines National Cemetery in Bay Pines, Florida – NOTE : his grave marker has his last name as Stukas

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added some punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.
Added an association to Stalag Luft 1 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Updated the location of the "POW" event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Highest rank = Major

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 2548
NARA WWII POW records
Veterans Affairs BIRLS death File

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 2548

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2548, 8th Af Losses