John Mitchellweis Jr
Military ROLL OF HONOURJoined RCAF, assigned to 133S, transferred to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Flying with the 336th squadron in P47 41-6200 '00', Mitchellweis took off for a local flight and about 40 minutes after takeoff, the ac crashed at Oxcroft Farm in Cambridgeshire. It is believed that plane caught fire at 5000 feet. Pilot ejected but British parachute pulled off. The theory is that the British parachute was to be worn under a 'Mae West' vest which Mitchellweis was not wearing thus it came off his shoulders. Killed in service.
Awards: American Defense Medal, American Campaign Medal.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: "Duckpond"
- Site type: Memorial
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Winnebago, Illionis | 21 April 1917 | Son of John Mitchellweis Sr. |
|
Other Transferred |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 9 October 1942 - 1 February 1943 | Transferred to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Died |
Duxford, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB22, UK | 1 February 1943 | While on a local flight aircraft caught fire at 5000 ft and he was forced to bail out. Upon leaving the aircraft “his chute was not strapped on tight enough and he was jerked out of it by the force of the speed at which he dropped.” KIFA. |
| Rockford, IL, USA | |||
|
Other Joined RAFVR |
Canada | Joined Royal Canadian Air Force. | |
|
Other Assigned |
Biggin Hill, London SE19 3HY, UK | 9 October 1942 | Assigned to 133 [Eagle] Sqn RAF. |
Revisions
Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159969106/john-mitchellweis
The Daily Republican, Belvidere, Illinois, 8 Feb 1943: 'Lieut. John Mitchellweis Jr, son of Mr and Mrs Mitchellweis, 847 Haskell avenue, Rockford, was killed in action over western Europe February 1, according to word received by his parents.'
AccidentReports.com, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey p. 72 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia