Jocko Rhesus Monkey
Military | Mascot | 344th Bomb Group
Jocko was a Rhesus Monkey and one of the many squadron mascots of the 344th Bomb Group.
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John K Havener
Military
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Lieutenant Jack Havener of the 344th Bomb Group reads a magazine in his bunk. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: 'Havener in his sack in the hut. Night stand and racks & shelving made from empty ammo boxes, Sept `1944.'
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A P-47 Thunderbolt, painted in invasion markings buzzes a haystack on the 344th Bomb Group base at Cormeilles-en-Vexin. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: 'P-47 buzzing haystack on base. He probably couldn't resist it as the Krauts earlier camouflaged ack-ack guns under haystacks. Dec 1944.'
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Ground personnel of the 344th Bomb Group work on a B-26 Marauder (serial number 42-95906) nicknamed "Terre Haute Tornado" after a mission. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: 'Patching holes in Terre Haute Tornado at end of day after a mission Jan 1945.'
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Lieuteant Jack Havener of the 344th Bomb Group in flight gear before a mission briefing. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: 'Havener in Flying gear ready for briefing and early morning mission. Jan 1945.' Caption from “The Martin B-26 Marauder” by J.K.Havener, p224 -'Unshaven author standing outside his semi-underground hut on station A-59 just befor going to briefing for the Cologne mission. Note winter flying gear an .45 pistol belt. Propeller blade is from an FW-190 wreck on the base.'
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Al Eberhardt of the 344th Bomb Group with the wreckage of his B-26 Marauder nicknamed "Abandoned". Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: '"Abandoned"- Al Eberhardt went to Paris on a 24 hour pass and someone else flew his nice new C-45 model Marauder and it was so shot up on the mission that it was declared non-salvageable and was promptly scavenged for parts and relegated to the scrap pile. Even though the new name was lettered in fine block letters the salvage crew mispelled it and Eberhardt wanted his photo taken by it. Nov 1944.'
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Personnel of the 344th Bomb Group proudly display their orders to go home. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: '"Jubilation Day"" Orders to go home being displayed by joyous 497th troops. L to R. - J.K. Havener, Pilot J.R. Balach, Pilot F.J. Healy, Bombardier J.W. Curley. 13 Feb 1945.'
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A B-26 Marauder of the 344th Bomb Group takes off. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: 'Lead ship in the air in distance and second ship halfway down runway roll. Jan 1945.'
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Two B-26 Marauders, left: (serial number 42-95967) nicknamed "Rosie O'Brady" and right: (serial number 43-34181) nicknamed "Lak-A-Nookie", of the 344th Bomb Group prepare for take off. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: 'Lead ships lined up ready to roll. Jan 1945.'
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B-26 Marauders of the 344th Bomb Group line up for take off. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: 'Group ships taxiing to take-off point Jan 1945.'
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Personnel of the 344th Bomb Group at the outdoor mess hall at Cormeilles-en-Vexin. Image by Jack K Havener, 344th Bomb Group.. Associated caption: 'Mess after mission. Coffee brewed in half bomb bay tank. Still no mess hall built Jan 1945.'
Jack K Havener (1920–2011) flew B-26 Marauders with the 344th Bomb Group. He completed 68 combat missions in the medium bombers, many of them from Stansted. Among the medals awarded to Havener was the Distinguished Flying Cross – given to an American airman who ‘distinguished himself by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight’.
Havener grew up in Illinois and worked for the International Harvester Company, an agricultural equipment supplier, his entire adult life. He joined as an office boy in 1939, and retired as a supervisor in production and material management in 1978. After the war he remained in the active reserve of the US Air Force, rising from the rank of Captain in 1945 to Lieutenant Colonel in 1971. He was one of the founding members of IWM Duxford’s American Air Museum in Britain.
Service
People
Units served with
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344th Bomb Group
Group
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497th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
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42-95906 Terre Haute Tornado
B-26 Marauder
Associated Place
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Stansted Mountfitchet
Military site : airfield
Today, Stansted is one of the busiest airports in Britain. During the Second World War, instead of airliners delivering passengers, Stansted Moutfitchet’s aircrews in their B-26 Marauders attacked Nazi targets, paving the way for D-Day and the...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Sterling, IL, USA | 15 September 1920 |
| Died | Memphis, TN, USA | 16 May 2011 |
| Buried | Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, USA | 20 May 2011 |
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Memphis Memory Gardens |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 17 May 2021 19:14:38 | jmoore43 | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Added a Buried event per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 227235542. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 May 2021 19:00:30 | jmoore43 | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Updated the Died event per info in his obit. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 May 2021 18:57:05 | jmoore43 | Changes to highest rank |
| Sources | ||
Updated the highest rank per info in his obit at the Memphis Funeral Home. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 May 2021 18:24:08 | jmoore43 | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Added an association to the 9th AF per info on the 344th Bomb Group. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 May 2021 18:06:33 | jmoore43 | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Added an association to the 497th BS listed in the A/C #42-95952 description section. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 October 2014 13:10:28 | Emily | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Updated Place of Birth and Death, from Obituary, sent to AAM by brother Bill Havener, 2011. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 October 2014 08:42:10 | Emily | Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nickname, nationality, highest rank, biography, events, unit associations, place associations and media associations |
| Sources | ||
-Correspondence with Roger Freeman held with original copies of associated media. -AAM membership list. - Medals: Baumgardner, 'The Distinguished Flying Cross Society', p 103. |
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