John Macke Balason
MilitaryFlew a tour of duty in the Aleutians with 18FS, 343FG, 11AF prior to being assigned to 350FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. On February 22 1945 failed to return (FTR) free lance to Madgeburg, set off in pursuit of several Me262 fighters in P-51 44-14793 'Miss Betty D', last seen pursuing them into cloud, brought down by flak [possibly led into a flak trap] and baled out POW. MACR 12683.
Awards: DFC, AM, POW, PH, WWII Victory, EAME and AP Campaign Medals.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
California, USA | 18 October 1923 | |
|
Enlisted |
Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, CA 92106, USA | 26 January 1942 | Fort Rosecrans,California |
|
Other Crashed |
Amchitka Island, Alaska, USA | 30 May 1943 | Landing Accident Amchitka AK Cat 4 damage Lt John M Balason, 30-May-43. P-40K 42-9801 - 18FS 343FG 11AF |
|
Based |
Raydon | 29 October 1944 - 22 February 1945 | Assigned to 350FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Promotion |
Raydon, Ipswich IP7, UK | 10 December 1944 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. |
|
Other Shot down |
Magdeburg, Germany | 22 February 1945 | Failed to Return (FTR) free lance to Madgeburg, set off in pursuit of several Me262 fighters in P-51 44-14793 'Miss Betty D', last seen pursuing them into cloud, brought down by flak and baled out POW. MACR 12683. |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Zagan, Poland | 22 February 1945 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III. |
|
Died |
Nevada, USA | 10 November 1999 | |
| San Diego, CA, USA | |||
|
Buried |
Palm Memorial Park Las Vegas, Clark County, NV | Palm Memorial Park Las Vegas Clark County Nevada, USA |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/image/28829537
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Balason%2C+John+…
https://www.fold3.com/page/84964053_john_m%20balason/details/
https://353rdfightergroup.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/350th-fighter-squadr…
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Balason&GSfn=John…;
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12683 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list