Maj. John Marshall “Jack” Toomey
BIRTH : 19 Feb 1913 - San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, USA
DEATH : 31 Jan 1943 - age 29 - Messina, Italy
BURIAL: North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia

Maj. John Toomey was the command pilot of his assigned B-24D bomber, 41-11603,he named, Malicious, assigned to the 8th Air Force, the 376th Bombardment Group, and the 513th Bombardment Squadron. Major Toomey was piloting his B-24D, Malicious, on a combat mission to bomb the Messina Harbor in Sicily, when two of his engines were destroyed by German anti aircraft flak batteries. Major Toomey stayed on his bomb run and hit his target. Then, as he was leaving the area, his B-24 was attacked by German fighters. After a running air battle, Major Toomey was forced to ditch his bomber into the Tyrrhenian Sea, twenty miles off the coast of Messina, Sicily. Crewmen in other aircraft in the area saw four to six men evacuate the plane into life rafts, but subsequent rescue flights were unable to locate the men. Maj. Toomey and his crew were all listed as Missing In Action. 10 MIA - later changed to 10 KIA. 31 January, 1943.

Because his body was never recovered, Major John Toomey is memorialized on the Wall of the Missing at the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia

John Toomey was from Austin, Texas. He received the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with an Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal, and the Purple Heart medals, for his flying skill and bravery in combat. He was just 29 years of age when he gave his life in the cause for freedom.

Service

Events

Event	Location	Date
Born	San Antonio, TX, USA	19 February 1913
Died	Messina, Province of Messina, Italy	31 January 1943
On January 31, 1943, Toomey was pilot of B-24D #41-11603 named 'Malicious', assigned to the 9th Air Force, 376th Bombardment Group, 513th Bombardment Squadron. Malicious was the lead plane on a combat mission to bomb Messina Harbor in Sicily. Two engines were knocked out of commission by anti-aircraft artillery, but they stayed on their bomb run and hit their target. They were then set upon by German fighter planes and after a running battle, were forced to make a water crash landing into the Tyrrhenian Sea, twenty miles off the coast of Messina, Sicily. Crewmen in other aircraft saw four to six men evacuate the plane into life rafts, but subsequent rescue flights were unable to locate the men. Because his body was never recovered, he's memorialized on the Wall of the Missing. Toomey was from Austin, TX. He received the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Buried
No Known Grave Tablets of The Missing North Africa American Cemetery