John Henry McNamara

Military

John McNamara was Ball Turret gunner on B-17 #42-39811, shot down on a night leaflet operation to France, 5-6 July 1944. Crashed near Overschie, a suburb of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Missing Air Crew Report – MACR 6988. Initially evaded, helped by members of the Dutch Groep Rosmalen, he was captured later. Prisoner of War (POW).

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 487th Bomb Group.

487th Bomb Group

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

People

James Roller Brown

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-756169
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

William Decker Harris

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11129380
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer / Top Turret Gunner

Norman Hollander

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16065396
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

George Arthur Jellison

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33688109
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Roger Charles Keedwell

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 858th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: O-762574
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Aircraft

42-39811

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Donna Mae
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Officers of the 487th Bomb Group outside the 838th Bomb Squadron operations room.

Lavenham

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Lavenham/Alpheton Airfield

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Duluth, Minnesota 18 December 1918

Enlisted

28 February 1941 Duluth, Minnesota

Died

10 December 1984 Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Initially evaded, captured. Interned at Stalag Luft 4, Braunau, Near Krems, Austria. NARA WWII POW record : “Returned to Military Control 23 May 1945.”

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 6988
German report KU-2407 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/147886912 (NARA)
WWII Draft Card
NARA WWII POW records
Veterans Affairs BIRLS death File

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to A/C #42-39811 listed in the "Summary biography".
Added "Possible DUPLICATE" in the Nickname field so an Admin can check out this person.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 6988