Born outside of Buxton, Iowa, John's family moved to Clinton, Iowa where he grew up. He and his brother Tom (Navy) joined the armed forces in 1942. Tom served in the South Pacific and John in England as part of the USAAF, 8th Air Force, 305th Bomb Group, 365th Squadron. His last mission was New Year's Eve 1943 over France which ended in a crash landing on the Ashridge Estate near Aldbury, UK. John was seriously wounded while 4 crew members, including the pilot and copilot were killed. Thankfully Ruby Daley, a British Red Cross nurse from Aldbury, attended the crew and likely saved John's life. After four months in hospitals John returned to the U.S and further hospitalization in Battle Creek, Michigan. After the war John married, moved to California and had 3 daughters. He died in 1980.