John Talbot Carper
Military ROLL OF HONOURJohn Carper grew up in Bartlett, Texas, where he attended Bartlett High School. He graduated from the Agricultural and Mechanical College Texas, Class of 1940 and enlisted in the Air Corps in June 1942. He received his training at Barksdale Field, Louisiana; in California, in Arizona; in Amarillo, Texas and in Sioux City, Iowa. Sent overseas in 1944, he was assigned to the 305th Bomb Group/ 366th Bomb Squadron and served for about six months before being shot down in B-17 43-38052 on 17 October 1944 (Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 9473). His Father, John H. Carper had first been notified of his son’s Missing In Action statute in a letter he received on 8 February 1945 from the War Department, advising him also that his son had been awarded the Air Medal. The citation read: “For meritorious achievement while participating in sustained bomber combat operations over Germany and German occupied countries. The courage, coolness and skills displayed by this enlisted man upon these occasions reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.” Sadly, the following July, John Carper received a telegram from the War Department, which read : “I am deeply distressed to inform you your son S/Sgt John T. Carper who was previously reported missing in action Seventeen October, died of wounds while a prisoner of war of the German government nineteen October 1944. This information was extracted from captured official German records. The Secretary of War asks that I express his deep sympathy in your loss and his regret that unavoidable circumstances made necessary the unusual lapse of the time in reporting your son’s death to you. Confirming letter follows.”… John Carper rests at the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, The Netherlands.
Connections
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Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19136058 and O-765415
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12205242 and O-723193
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37619491
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
Missions
Places
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Enlisted |
Roanoke, Virginia, United States | 25 June 1942 | as a Private in the Air Corps |
Other Died Of Wounds (DOW) |
Merten-Bornheim, Germany | 19 October 1944 | Wounded in the crash of 43-38052 on 17 October 1944, he was captured immediately near Merten, Germany and died 2 days later. Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 9473. |
Born |
Texas, United States | the son of John H. Carper | |
Bartlett, Texas, United States | |||
Buried |
John Carper rests at Plot H Row 10 Grave 25 |
Revisions
MACR 9473
NARA WWII Enlistment records
http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth81697/m1/1/
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 9473 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database