John B Connor Jr
MilitaryMighty 8th Museum volunteer staff file
INT damaged by flak over Politz, Germany and landed in Sweden on 6/20/44 in B-24 #41-28787
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from the Mighty Eighth Museum
John Connor, a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1939. He completed basic training at Langley Field, Virginia and was assigned as a clerk to the GHQ Army Air Corps headquarters. In the rapid expansion of the Army prior to World War II, he was promoted from private to Master Sergeant in four years, becoming the Base Sergeant Major.
In 1943 he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant Bombardier at Kirkland Field, New Mexico. He went through crew training in B-24 aircraft at various bases prior to arriving in England in 1943. The crew was assigned to the 389th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. He eventually became the Group Bombardier. On June 20, 1943 while flying on his 21st mission, the airplane was severely damaged by flak, preventing its return to England. The plane diverted to Sweden and crash landed at a Swedish airfield located in Malmo. The crew was interned for five months prior to being returned to the United States.
After various training schools and aircrew assignments, he was assigned as Chief of Current operations of the 2nd Bomb Wing which was stationed here at Hunter AFB. In 1957 he was transferred to the 5th Air Division in Sidi Slimane, Morocco as a staff operations officer.
Returning to Hunter in 1959, he was assigned as Chief of Combat Operations of the 308th Bomb Wing, which at the time was commanded by Colonel Tibbets who’s B-29, The Enola Gay, dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. In 1962 he was transferred to 8th Air Force headquarters, Westover AFB, Massachusetts as Chief of Manpower and Organization for twenty six airbases under the control of the 8th Air Force.
Colonel Connor retired in 1965 after twenty six years of active duty with over 4000 hours of flying time in various bomber aircraft. John volunteers at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in the Mission Experience telling visitors of his personal experiences during the war and reminding us all of the importance of the B-24 heavy bomber in helping to defeat Nazi Germany.
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
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 4 November 1919 | |
Died |
14 December 2010 |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit History; Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum Membership List, July 2000 MACR 5922