John K Havener
Military
Object Number - FRE 7134 - Lieutenant Jack Havener of the 344th Bomb Group reads a magazine in his bunk. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption:...
Jack K Havener (1920–2011) flew B-26 Marauders with the 344th Bomb Group. He completed 68 combat missions in the medium bombers, many of them from Stansted. Among the medals awarded to Havener was the Distinguished Flying Cross – given to an American airman who ‘distinguished himself by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight’.
Havener grew up in Illinois and worked for the International Harvester Company, an agricultural equipment supplier, his entire adult life. He joined as an office boy in 1939, and retired as a supervisor in production and material management in 1978. After the war he remained in the active reserve of the US Air Force, rising from the rank of Captain in 1945 to Lieutenant Colonel in 1971. He was one of the founding members of IWM Duxford’s American Air Museum in Britain.
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: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Mascot
- Unit: 344th Bomb Group
- Role/Job: Mascot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
- Nicknames: Terre Haute Tornado
- Unit: 344th Bomb Group
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Stansted
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Sterling, IL, USA | 15 September 1920 | |
|
Died |
Memphis, TN, USA | 16 May 2011 | |
|
Buried |
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, USA | 20 May 2011 | Memphis Memory Gardens |
Revisions
Added a Buried event per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 227235542.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/227235542/john-k-havener
Updated the Died event per info in his obit.
SOURCE: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/memphis-tn/john-havener-4675…
Updated the highest rank per info in his obit at the Memphis Funeral Home.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/memphis-tn/john-havener-4675…
Added an association to the 9th AF per info on the 344th Bomb Group.
Added an association to the 497th BS listed in the A/C #42-95952 description section.
Updated Place of Birth and Death, from Obituary, sent to AAM by brother Bill Havener, 2011.
-Correspondence with Roger Freeman held with original copies of associated media.
-AAM membership list.
- Medals: Baumgardner, 'The Distinguished Flying Cross Society', p 103.
