John H Geltz Raiser

Military
media-44499.png UPL 44499 John Raiser in 2011 (photo by Tony Giberson, via Ian Darling, author of “Heroes in the Skies-American Aviators in World War II”, which has a chapter about him. ( http://iandarling.weebly.com/american-book.html )

photo by Tony Giberson, via Ian Darling

Object Number - UPL 44499 - John Raiser in 2011 (photo by Tony Giberson, via Ian Darling, author of “Heroes in the Skies-American Aviators in World War II”, which has a...

John Raiser was Pilot of B-24 'Begin The Beguine' #41-28619 on the mission to the Juvincourt airfield, France on 23 July 1944. Shot down by Flak over Holland, caught fire and exploded. Debris were spread over large area West of Vlissingen, The Netherlands. Prisoner of War (POW).

Connections

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Units served with

Colonel Larry Thomas of the 453rd Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Col Larry Thomas 453BG.'

453rd Bomb Group

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

People

Arthur Laurence Foreman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39725258 at enlistment, then O-701423
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

John Frank Gentile

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12170341 at enlistment, then O-818139
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Alfred Wilson Larson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33598302
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

George Stanley Layman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38404158
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Lonnie O Morris

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18154535
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

41-28619

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Begin The Beguine
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Stalag Luft III

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany

Stalag VII-A

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Jenkintown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA 26 February 1924

Enlisted

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 25 June 1942

Other

Captured

23 June 1944 NE of Vlissingen, Zeeland Province, The Netherlands and sent to the German Marine hospital in Bergen-op-Zoom, then to Dulag Luft for interrogation

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 23 June 1944 - 29 April 1945 Interned at Stalag Luft 3 Sagan/Zagan, Poland. Force-marched from there. Liberated 29 April 1945 at Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Germany. NARA WWII POW record : “Returned to Military Control 20 July 1945.”

Died

Pensacola, Florida, USA 4 January 2012
Glenside, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a location to the POW event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added an associations to Stalag Luft 3 & Stalag 7A per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

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

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Added Awards in correct place

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 6232
NARA WWII Enlistment records
WWII Draft card
NARA WWII POW records
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 6232
2011 research for author Ian Darling's book “Heroes in the Skies-American Aviators in World War II” - http://iandarling.weebly.com/american-book.html

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added S/N & POW camp info per records for POWs at the National Archives. Added Summary biography.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 6232 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

John H Geltz Raiser: Gallery (2 items)

Object number: UPL 44499 - John Raiser in 2011 (photo by Tony Giberson, via...

Object number: UPL 44500 - One of John Raiser’s two Dog Tags on pages 41 and...