John Stephen Ketzner

Military
media-42077.png UPL 42077 John Ketzner’s Dog Tag in KU-2795 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/147897029 (NARA)

Object Number - UPL 42077 - John Ketzner’s Dog Tag in KU-2795 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/147897029 (NARA)

Navigator John S. Ketzner flew 12.5 missions and was on board B-17 #42-31771 when it was shot down by enemy aircraft on 24 August 1944. Exploded and crashed near Lindenthal, NW of Leipzig, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report 8213. He was a Prisoner of War (POW) at Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany, for 8.5 months.

Pilot: Steve Nagy; Co-pilot: John F. McTigue; Bombardier: Daniel P. Giove; Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Willard R. Best; Ball turret gunner: Wilbur A. Wulfeck; Waist gunner: Francesco G. Iadevaia; Tail gunner: Peter S. Cimino Jr; Radio Operator/Gunner George M. Demott. Five men were KIA (Nagy, McTigue, Giove, Best and Wulfeck). The others were made prisoner (Ketzner, Demott, Iadevaia and Cimino).









POW/ AM w/ Oak Leaf Cluster

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36478227
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14128278
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32427602
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-765649
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11031475
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Available - Exciteable
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 24 August 1944

Places

Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland, United States 11 May 1921

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 24 August 1944 - 1 June 1945 NARA's WWII POW database has him as a POW in Germany (no camp listed) and as "Returned to Allied military control on 1/6/1945. An article in the Cumberland Evening Times of 26 May 1945 told about his parents having been advised of his liberation from Stalag Luft 1.

Died

24 September 2019

Enlisted

Baltimore, Maryland, United States 28 August 2042 as a Private in the Air Corps
Cumberland, Maryland, United States

Buried

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated his middle name & the Born event per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 203373970.
Added Died and Buried events per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 203373970.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/203373970/john-stephen-ketzner

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an association to Stalag Luft 1 and updated POW event per info in the "Summary biography".

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Put capitals at Private in the Air Corps, under Enlisted to "aid clarity & consistency"...

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW database
Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 8213
Cumberland Evening Times of 26 May 1945 (mentioning he was at Stalag Luft 1)

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8213 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / self

John Stephen Ketzner: Gallery (1 items)