Byron Ray Johnson

Military

Prisoner of War (POW) crashed at Graft on 6 Feb 45 in B-24 #42110188

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Three little girls hold up a balloon celebrating the 100th mission of the 466th Bomb Group in front of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95592) nicknamed "Black Cat". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'On our 100 Mission party Day- 18 Aug 1944, Attlebridge, 466th- wouldn't it be something if we could identify these girls? How could I do it?'

466th Bomb Group

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

People

Albert Lee Findley

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18193744
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

William Earnest Fowler

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37558091
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineeer

John Lee Gates

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35761330
  • Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Theodore William Mabee

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 786th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36692659
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Raleigh Peter Murray

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16016615
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

42-110188

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 786th Bomb Squadron 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron

42-50438

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Miss Minooky
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron

Missions

685

  • Date: 22 October 1944

683

  • Date: 19 October 1944

682

  • Date: 18 October 1944

681

  • Date: 17 October 1944

Places

Aerial photograph of Attlebridge airfield, looking north, the fuel store and a T2 hangar are in the upper centre, 31 January 1946. Photograph taken by No. 90 Squadron, sortie number RAF/3G/TUD/UK/51. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Attlebridge

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120

Stalag Luft III

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

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Kay, Oklahoma 12 June 1918

Other

POW

Zagan, Poland 10 February 1945 Stalag Luft III

Died

El Paso, Texas 5 April 1982

Buried

Fort Bliss National Cemetery 8 April 1982 Fort Bliss National Cemetery El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, USA Add to Map Plot C, 0, 746

Other

Shot Down/Captured

Graft, 30419 Hannover, Germany 6 February 1945 John evaded capture for 12 days, making his way into Holland before being captured

Revisions

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2238/images/44031_09_0…
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2272/images/33154_b063…

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

466th BG Archives - Mission Report for 22 October 1944
NARA document research by Brad Sullivan

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12220

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

http://www.ww2pow.info/index.php?page=directory&rec=79570

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 12220 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database