John Dudley Crouchley Jr
MilitaryPilot
485th BG - 828th BS - 15th AF
KIA - 28 June 1944
Held his severely damaged aircraft steady allowing his crew to bail out safely.
Assigned to 828BS, 485BG, 15AF USAAF. 25 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Bucharest, Romania in B-24 42-52701 28-Jun-44; Shot down by E/A, held A/C stable to enable his crew to bale out, unable to escape himself. Killed in Action(KIA) MACR 6820/8339
Awards: DFC, AM, PH, American Campaign, WWII Victory, EAME (2 x battle stars), Unit Citation.
Was listed as MIA, recorded on tablets of the missing at Florence American Cemetery. His remains were recovered / identified and finally laid to rest by his family in 2019.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 485th Bomb Group 828th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34825574 / O-820014
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Unit: 485th Bomb Group 828th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14059508 / O-693519
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 485th Bomb Group 828th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38233125
- Highest Rank: Technician Fourth Grade
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 485th Bomb Group 828th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33585178
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 485th Bomb Group 828th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17079701
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Nose Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Miss Yankee Rebel
- Unit: 485th Bomb Group 828th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Rhode Island | 4 September 1917 | Son of John D Snr and Katherine Crouchley. NoK: Mrs Dorothy H Crouchley |
Enlisted |
Providence, Rhode Island | 17 March 1942 | |
Other Married |
12 July 1943 | Married Dorothy H Barber. | |
Based |
Venosa | 10 May 1944 - 28 June 1944 | Assigned to 828BS, 485BG, 15AF USAAF. |
Died |
Plovdiv, Bulgaria | 28 June 1944 | KIA while holding his severely damaged aircraft level so the rest of the crew could bail out safely. |
Buried |
North Burial Ground Bristol, Bristol County, Rhode Island | 4 May 2019 | North Burial Ground Bristol, Bristol County, Rhode Island |
Buried |
Florence American Cemetery and Memorial Florence, Città Metropolitana di Firenze, Toscana, Italy Tablets of the Missing Remains recovered in 2019 |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/image/29101743
https://www.fold3.com/image/657903315
https://www.fold3.com/image/197072709?rec=197072866
https://www.fold3.com/image/310763430?rec=299410155
https://www.fold3.com/record/83396944-john-d-crouchley-jr
https://www.fold3.com/record/529862222-john-d-crouchley-jr
https://www.smith-masonfuneralhome.com/notices/John-CrouchleyJr
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198663236/john-d_-crouchley
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/192994441/john-dudley-crouchley
https://www.fold3.com/image/29101743
https://www.fold3.com/image/657903315
https://www.fold3.com/image/197072709?rec=197072866
https://www.fold3.com/image/310763430?rec=299410155
https://www.fold3.com/record/83396944-john-d-crouchley-jr
https://www.fold3.com/record/529862222-john-d-crouchley-jr
https://www.smith-masonfuneralhome.com/notices/John-CrouchleyJr
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198663236/john-d_-crouchley
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/192994441/john-dudley-crouchley