John Albert Pontzious

Military

Assigned to 349BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF. Lightly wounded in B-17 42-38053 'Cap'n Crow' in a form up accident over the base on 7-May-44. Baled out RTD

Then became a regular on Winans Shaddix crew. Missed the Shaddix crews final mission, due to being hung over. Mental health suffered through guilt when they failed to return.





Awards: AM (3OLC), GC, WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).



Post war: Medically discharged from USAAF. Crushed to death in a bizarre house movement accident according to Winans Shaddix.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve

100th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Winans Cornell Shaddix

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20416708 / O-747903
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Ralph Wendell Wright

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-753834
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-38053

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Jenny Lee aka Cap'n Crow
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 457th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Sangamon, IL 19 September 1922 Son of Albert and Lucille Pontzious. Husband to Bethel.

Enlisted

21 January 1943

Other

Discharged USAAF

28 March 1945 Medically discharged - Convalescent hospital (ZoI)

Died

Lexington, NE 23 June 1946

Buried

Oak Ridge Cemetery Springfield, Sangamon County, IL 28 June 1946 Oak Ridge Cemetery Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois

Other

Hospitalised

Miami Beach, FL

Based

Thorpe Abbotts Assigned to 349BS, 100BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://100thbg.com/index.php?option=com_bombgrp&view=personnel&id=3087…

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/319197654
https://www.fold3.com/image/662076569
https://www.fold3.com/record/700646240/blank-us-wwii-hospital-admission…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214001192/john-albert-pontzious

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

100th BG Casualty Report,

href="http://www.mcadams.org/fpdb/sqds_name2.asp">http://www.mcadams.org/fpdb/sqds_name2.asp> / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia