John Stemmerman

Military
448th BG 712th SQ Crew 16 UPL 71286 UPL 71286 448th BG 712th SQ Crew #16, up until mission of January 21, 1944. On that mission, Stemmerman, Ford, Hackney, and Walker had to bail out of their aircraft.

Top row, from left: Unidentified**, Edmond A Rock, Unidentified**, Clarence H Stark, Unidentified**, William C Walker
Bottom row, from left: Lester Bise, Robert B Haloran, Earle P Durley, Naseeb S Tweel
** The 3 Unidentifieds are supposed to be either John Stemmerman, William D Hackney, and Joe P Ford based on the original Crew #16 crew roster.

2nd Air Division Archive, American Library and Norfolk Record Office

On

Object Number - UPL 71286 - 448th BG 712th SQ Crew #16, up until mission of January 21, 1944. On that mission, Stemmerman, Ford, Hackney, and Walker had to bail out of their...

While on an operational mission to Cherbourg, France on 21 Jan 1944 in B-24H-5-CF #41-29208 "SHOO-SHOO BABY" a target marker went off in the bomb bay forcing four Gunners to bailed out. John delayed opening his chute and landed undetected and unharmed. He hid his parachute and himself. That evening he commenced walking to Spain. He slept during the day. Guided through the Pyrenees, he found a Spanish seaport and boarded a ship to England. He returned to Seething after evading capture. The other three crew members were captured and sent to POW camps.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 448th Bomb Group.

448th Bomb Group

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

People

Lester Bise

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-688502
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Earle Preston Durley

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 2nd Air Division 20th Combat Bomb Wing 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-447213
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
448th BG 712th SQ Crew 16

Joe P Ford

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 2nd Air Division 20th Combat Bomb Wing 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39407846
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
448th BG 712th SQ Crew 16

William D Hackney

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 2nd Air Division 20th Combat Bomb Wing 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36539204
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
448th BG 712th SQ Crew 16

Robert Browning Halloran

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 2nd Air Division 20th Combat Bomb Wing 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-808990
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

41-29208

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Shoo-Shoo Baby
  • Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron

Places

Revisions

Date
Contributordwk1927
Changes
Sources

Billy J Espich WWII Collection

Date
Contributordwk1927
Changes
Sources

Billy J Espich WWII Collection

Date
Contributordmccullo
Changes
Sources

Updated job description.

Date
Contributordmccullo
Changes
Sources

Details added about John Stemmerman evading capture from Bill McCullah's of Crew 11, 712th BS eyewitness account of the incident described in his memoirs.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / SO#150, 6th Heavy Bomb.Proc HQ, Herington, Kansas 5 Nov 43, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces

John Stemmerman: Gallery (1 items)

448th BG 712th SQ Crew 16

Object number: UPL 71286 - 448th BG 712th SQ Crew #16, up until mission of...