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Military
USAAF Captain John E. Abdallah AO 733505
Soldier's Medal Awarded on April 1st, 1944 for action on July 16th, 1943.
Bombing of Brenner Pass
Flag Case PH Soldier's Medal Distinguished Flying Cross
USAAF Capt. John E. Abdallah AO 733505 97th BG, 340th Bombardment Squadron
DFC GO # 336, HQ 15th AF, 97th BG, 340th BSQ
Capt. John E. Abdallah AO 733505 PH GO# 40 97th BG, 340th BSQ.
John Abdallah served as a Bombardier with the 97th Bomb Group. He was shot down on 16 July 1943 while on a mission to San Giovanni, Italy. The plane ditched in the sea 35 miles east of Catania, Sicily. The crew were fortunately rescued after about 30 minutes by a passing British destroyer.
Known General Orders and Dates
DFC GO # 336 /15th AF/1944
PH GO #42/ 97th Bombardment Group – AFP 520/1943
ADM GO #50/Hq 12th AF Bombardment Group/1943
Soldier’s Medal GO # 157/Hq 15th AF/ 1944
DUC – 001325/Hq 15th AF/ 1944
Military | Major | Pilot 97th Bomb Group/ 414th Squadron/ Transferred as Commander of 384th BG/ 547th Unit /41st Bomb Wing Heavy Group B and Group C1945 | 384th Bomb Group
Raised in Kissimmee Florida, Parents Omer S. Thacker and Jesse Wilder, Both Attorneys in Kissimmee Fl.
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Group
The 97th Bomb Group flew the Eighth Air Force's first heavy bomber mission from the UK when they bombed a marshalling yard at Rouen on 17 August 1942. Just a month later though the Group were reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force and left England for the...
Squadron
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Massachusetts, USA | 1916 |
| Enlisted | Boston, MA, USA | 1 July 1941 |
| Shot down | Catania CT, Italy | 16 July 1943 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 05 February 2016 18:30:50 | JB1 | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
DFC GO # 336 97th BG, 340th Bombardment Squadron |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 February 2016 17:54:49 | JB1 | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Capt. John E. Abdallah AO 733505 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 February 2016 10:56:37 | Lucy May | Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nickname, nationality, service number, highest rank, role, biography, events and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Correspondence with John Abdallah's nephew, John. NARA Enlistment record: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=4&tf=F&q=abda... For photos see: http://www.15thaf.org/5th_BW/97th_BG/97th_BG.html |
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