John W Willis Jr

Military

Navigator, Zum crew. 381st BG, 535th BS, 8th AF. Shot down 3 September 1943 in B-17 #42-29789 'Big Time Operator'. Mission #25 to the airfield at Romilly, France. MACR 473. Lt Willis was knocked unconscious as his parachute opened and awoke on the ground. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III and Stalag VIIA.

Lynchburg, South Carolina



Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13103513
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12064194
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-676427
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12141044
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-678265
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Big Time Operator
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Prisoner of War

Germany 3 September 1943 Stalag Luft III Stalag VIIA

Born

Lynchburg, South Carolina

Revisions

Date
ContributorARowe95
Changes
Sources

ARowe95

Date
ContributorARowe95
Changes
Sources

ARowe95

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 473