John Joseph Vail

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-19491.jpeg UPL 19491 MacKinnon aircrew - 412th Bomb Sqdn B-17F-65-BO “Lonesome Polecat I” #42-29693 BACK ROW 1st Lt. Malcolm B. MacKinnon (pilot) F/O Eugene W. Wood (co-pilot) 2nd Lt. William H. Powell (navigator) 2nd Lt. Gerald J. Jenkins (bombardier) MIDDLE ROW T/Sgt Alexander A. Mareck (waist gunner) T/Sgt John J. Vail (radio operator) S/Sgt John F. Davoren (waist gunner) S/Sgt George Babich (top turret gunner) FRONT ROW S/Sgt Stanley D. Bennett (tail gunner) S/Sgt Lyle P. Blackridge (ball turret gunner).

This photo is believed to have been taken while the 95th Bomb Group was still in Rapid City, South Dakota. The crew, as shown above, is not the crew that was flying in the Lonesome Polecat on June 11th, 1943, when it was shot down and all aboard were KIA. Not with the crew that day were S/SGT Blackridge, 2LT Powell, and 2LT Jenkins.

Jim Hersom

Object Number - UPL 19491 - MacKinnon aircrew - 412th Bomb Sqdn B-17F-65-BO “Lonesome Polecat I” #42-29693 BACK ROW 1st Lt. Malcolm B. MacKinnon (pilot) F/O Eugene W. Wood...

Assigned to 412BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 11-Jun-43 in B-17 42-29693. Plane crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 2807





Awards: AM, PH.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 95th Bomb Group.

95th Bomb Group

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

People

Malcolm Blanchar MacKinnon

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12035122 / O-389270
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-29693

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lonesone Polecat
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Chicago, Illinois, USA 8 October 1908 Son of John James and Catherine [Cullens] Vail.

Enlisted

Chicago, IL 27 March 1942 Chicago, Illinois

Died

North Sea 11 June 1943 Shot down 11-Jun-43 in B-17 42-29693. Plane crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 2807

Based

Killed in Action (KIA)

Horham 11 June 1943 Assigned to 412BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF.

Buried

Netherlands American Cemetery Tablets of the Missing Netherlands American Cemetery Netherlands , Margraten

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56304759/john-joseph-vail

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56304759/john-joseph-vail

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/28771130
https://www.fold3.com/image/657574562
https://www.fold3.com/record/89728780-john-j-vail
https://www.fold3.com/record/529878220-john-j-vail
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56304759/john-j-vail
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84118438/john-j.-vaile

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

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

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Key Image ID.

Date
ContributorA. van Erp
Changes
Sources

www.wwiimemorial.com

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2807 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

John Joseph Vail: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 19491 - MacKinnon aircrew - 412th Bomb Sqdn B-17F-65-BO...