John F. Bookout Jr joined the Army Air Force in 1943 and was assigned to the 96th Bomb Group in January 1945. He served as a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot and flew 19 combat missions over Germany.  On a mission to Dresden, Bookout’s aircraft sustained heavy battle damage and lost two engines, but Bookout and his crew were able to safely return to their base at Snetterton Heath, England.  During his military career, Bookout flew over 1,300 hours in the B-17, B-25, C-47, C-45, P-47 and numerous other training command aircraft.  He received the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters along with many other awards and citations before he was discharged as a Captain in 1946.

Bookout’s professional career at Shell Oil Company spanned nearly four decades where he served as President and CEO in Houston from 1976-1988.  The B-17G in the American Air Museum at Duxford was restored with the help of John Bookout.  It is painted with the square C and a tail number of an aircraft in the 96th Bomb Group – the Snetterton Falcons.