John Conat McKenna
MilitaryJohn McKenna was Ball Turret Gunner on B-17 #42-29800 'Me and My Gal', shot down on the 14 October 1943 raid to Schweinfurt. Prisoner of War (POW).
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
![The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-395075.jpg?itok=Z2H16PVo)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
![A B-17 Flying Fortress (BK-H, serial number 42-37781) nicknamed "Silver Dollar" of the 546th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group goes down after losing its tail. Image via Havelaar. Printed caption on reverse: 'Silver Dollar, a Flying Fortress operating from Grafton Underwood, has its complete tail severed during one of the first 8th Air Force raids on Berlin.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Berlin missile, BK-H, Fort goes down.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-380079.jpg?itok=_le6Bm2m)
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14090837 and O-673460
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
![Seven men, wearing dress Air Force uniform, posed in front of a building. Four men standing to the rear and three men kneeling in front. All the men have Purple Heart medals pinned to their jacket left lapel](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/2023-10/20170301105937-0a03c2b3-me.jpg?itok=1FSomW1A)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20323830 and O-515826
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13057282 and O-738710
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12180110
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12048890
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
![](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/media/media-19262.jpeg?itok=mn9uQ-DX)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Me An' My Gal
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron 422nd Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron
![](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/media/media-7461.jpeg?itok=G_yV1GTB)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little America
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
Missions
![Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group are attacked by a Nazi Fighter aircraft during a mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-62641 USAF: Nazi fighter plane attacking Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th[sic] Bomb Group, 3rd Bomb Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-408505.jpg?itok=Hi-SN9sg)
- Date: 14 October 1943
Places
![Aerial photograph of Grafton Underwood airfield looking north east, Geddington village is on the left, 22 April 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC309. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/eh/eh-258.jpg?itok=i-QQOssr)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Enlisted |
Rochester, Monroe County, New York, United States | 26 May 1942 | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
near Braunau am Inn, Austria | 14 October 1943 | Immediately captured. Interned in Barrack 34A at Stalag XVIIB (17B) in Braunau/Gneikendorf, Austria. NARA WWII POW records : "Returned to Allied military control 6 June 1945." |
Born |
New York State, United States | ||
Monroe County, New York, United States |
Revisions
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 840, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=…