John Geegee
Military
The legend lists all men as Staff or Technical Sergents, except Pilot Captain Frederick Prasse (standing far right) and has typos in some names. One man is missing from the ten-man crew on board # 42-29965 which had to ditch in the English Channel on return from the 6 September 1943 mission to Stuttgart.
Standing, left to right : Tail Gunner S/Sgt Rolland A. Galloway; Radio Operator T/Sgt Laurence E. Dennis; Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Joseph F. Thornton; Bombardier 2nd Lt Fred Champion; Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt Otto F. Trammer; Pilot Captain Frederick T. Prasse.
Front, from left to right : Engineer/Top Turret Gunner S/Sgt John Geegee; Ball Turret Gunner John W. Disher; Left Waist Gunner S/Sgt Charles H. Hartnett. (The missing man from the photo is Navigator 2nd Lt David C. Besbris).
Added media
Object Number - UPL 24722 - Official USAAF photo. Original caption :"Crew of the 407th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" after being rescued...
John Geegee enlisted in the Air Corps in July 1942 and trained first at Miami Beach, and Fort Myers, Florida. He followed gunnery courses in Goldsboro and Johnson Field, South Carolina, receiving his gunner's wings at Fort Myers, Florida. He was then stationed at Atlantic City, New Jersey prior to being ordered on foreign duty.
He was sent overseas in May 1943 and assigned to the 92nd Bomb Group/407th Bomb Squadron in England. He was serving as Top Turret Gunner on B-17 #42-29965 when it ditched for lack of fuel in the English Channel on return from the 6 September 1943 mission to Stuttgart, Germany. All ten men on board were rescued by a French boat and returned to base.
Shot down on 16 November 1943 mission to Knaben, Norway in B-17 42-29996 'Flagship. ' Prisoner of War (POW). Interned at Stalag XVIIB in Braunau, near Krems, Austria. Liberated in May 1945.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11998665 /O-674111
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 02044435
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11021187 and O-668893
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39169650
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Bombardier / Togglier / Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36048962
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 16 November 1943
![A B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Kicking Horse" of the 303rd Bomb Group takes off with a feathered engine. Handwritten caption on reverse: ''Kicking Horse' of 303BG. Received 7/7/1944.' On reverse: Daily Graphic [Stamp, ref. no. M4226L].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407628.jpg.webp?itok=SpfDIv0I)
- Date: 6 September 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
![A bomber crew of the 92nd Bomb Group return to Podington following a mission flying B-17 Flying Fortresses to Wittenberg. A B-17 Flying Fortress (NV-K, serial number 42-29994) is visible in the background. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for Publication 23 Feb 1945' [stamp]. ' News Chronicle Copyright Picture' [stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: 'Crew back from Wittenberg.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379172.jpg.webp?itok=G7D0FciD)
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 17b, Krems an der Donau, Austria
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Duncannon, Pennsylvania, United States | 19 November 1920 | the son of Anthony Geegee |
|
Other Rescued |
English Channel | 6 September 1943 | He was Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on board 42-29965, which went down in the Channel for lack of fuel on return from the Stuttgart mission of 6 September 1943. All ten men on board rescued by a French boat. |
|
Other Captured |
near Konsmo, Norway | 17 November 1943 | Captured by a German patrol after having been hidden in their farm by a Norwegian family for the night after his landing by parachute on 16 November 1943 when B-17 #42-29996 was shot down on the Knaben mission. The farm had been encircled and there was no other way out than surrender. |
|
Other Prisoner of War |
Braunau, Austria | 17 November 1943 | Interned at Stalag XVIIB in Austria until liberation in May 1945. NARA WWII POW records : "returned to Military control 30 May 1945". |
|
Died |
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States | 2 February 1993 | |
| Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States | |||
|
Enlisted |
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States |
Revisions
Brought in sources from duplicate records:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 268 / Roll of Honor
MACR 1384
NARA WWII POW records
Article at http://cumberlink.com/news/local/history/midstate-family-visits-norway-…
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1384 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database