John Harold Rosema

Military
media-56776.jpeg UPL 56776 B-17G serial #42-38196, crash-landed in Dubendorf, Switz, April 13th, 1944

This photo is private property.

Object Number - UPL 56776 - B-17G serial #42-38196, crash-landed in Dubendorf, Switz, April 13th, 1944

John H Rosema served as a tail gunner with the 550th Bomb Squadron of the 385th Bomb Group. On 13 April 1944, he was flying in B-17 #42-38196 when it was shot down. The pilot, Don Jorgensen, managed to land it in Switzerland and the crew were interned.



In 2014, Rosema was posthumously awarded the Prisoner of War medal for his time imprisoned at the Wauwilermoos camp.

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 385th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Spring Lake, MI 49456, USA 10 May 1923

Enlisted

Kalamazoo, MI, USA 3 November 1942

Other

Interned (INT)

Wauwilermoos, Switzerland 13 April 1944

Died

East Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan, USA 15 February 1979 (aged 55)
Ottawa County, MI, USA

Buried

Grand Haven, Ottawa County, Michigan, USA Lake Forest Cemetery

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Updated the middle name and Added Died and Buried events per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 215776688.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/215776688/john-harold-rosema

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Added tribute paid to her grandfather by Charlene Rosema Stewart - with her permission.

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Correspondence with John H Rosema's granddaughter, Charlene Rosema Stewart.

NARA enlistment record: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf…

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3772 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

John Harold Rosema: Gallery (1 items)