John H Sherman
Military ROLL OF HONOUR15-Sep-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with MAJ Richard D. Callaway's crew 303BG/360BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. 303BG records do not indicate on which aircraft, or the date, upon which he arrived at Moleswworth, UK. It appers from 303BG records that he was permanently assigned to B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on 6-Dec-42.
Killed in Action (KIA) on 23 January 1943 in B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me" while serving as Right Waist Gunner. Aircraft was struck by a bomb dropped from above on a mission to bomb the port of area at Lorient, France. Aircraft crashed near Pluvinger, France.
Participated in 5 Operations (2 were aborted) See Biography events.
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: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
![Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238766.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Naturally most U.S. boys in Britain wish they were back home and Sergt. Peter Soria of the U.S. Air Corps is no exception. He sends a message to that effect to his home at 172 and Hoyne Aven](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378931.jpg.webp?itok=VX83NyM9)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Beats Me
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 23 January 1943
- Date: 13 January 1943
- Date: 30 December 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 20 December 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 6 December 1942
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Assigned to Unit |
Biggs Field, TX 79918, USA | 15 September 1942 | Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with the 303BG/360BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. Not assigned to an permanent aircraft or crew at that time. |
|
Other Mission #1, SSGT John H. Sherman, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Lille, France | 6 December 1942 | Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #2, SSGT John H. Sherman, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS |
Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 20 December 1942 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #3, SSGT John H. Sherman, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Lorient, France | 30 December 1942 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #4, SSGT John H. Sherman, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS |
Lille, France | 13 January 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomostive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
Pluvigner, France | 23 January 1943 | Killed when aircraft was struck by a bomb dropped from above and crashed near Pluvinger, France. |
|
Other Mission #5, SSGT John H. Sherman, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - KIA |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. The aircraft was struck by a bnomb from above, crashed and he was Killed in Action KIA. |
|
Buried |
Rock Island, IL, USA | The remains of all 7 KIA crew members were recovered from their burial locations near the crash site and repatriated after the war for Group Burial at the Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois. Plot D-306B. |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2016. Added Burial event per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bichop & John A, Hey MBE.
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Unit per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, 303BG Personnel Records: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 17-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment info to Summary Biosgraphy; Made connections of All Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, 303BG Personnel Records: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Combined two entries into a single entry. This record includes information from the following source: MACR 15571 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database.
Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added KIA description Burial description and Biography narrative per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE, also reference MACR 15571.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15571, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey Vol. 1 p. 65