John Edmund Wright
Military
Object Number - UPL 28462 - Flight Officer John Edmund Wright Glider pilot and acting C-47 Co-pilot 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF.
Assigned to 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. Temporarily attached to 434TCG. Flew as glider co-pilot on Op's Overlord [Normandy], Dragoon [South France] and Market Garden [Eindhoven]. Returned to 89TCS as an acting Co-pilot on C-47's. On mission to Denain / Pouvry, France went into an inverted dive and crashed into the ground at Jacobs Well, Guildford. It seemed the 5,000lb of cargo had shifted, disrupting the aircraft's Centre of Gravity. 25-Oct-44. Killed in Action (KIA).
Awards: AM (2OLC), PH, WWII Victory, EAME (Bronze Star).
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Troop Carrier
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 438th Troop Carrier Group 89th Troop Carrier Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34116979 / O-680153
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: C-47 Skytrain
- Nicknames: Lilly Bell II
- Unit: 438th Troop Carrier Group 89th Troop Carrier Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Tioga County, NY, USA | 6 October 1912 | Son of Alvah 'Alvin' and Delphine 'Della' [Wait] Wright. |
|
Enlisted |
Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), 2200 Sunport Blvd, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA | 23 March 1942 | Kirtland Field New Mexico |
|
Other Operation Overlord |
Normandy, France | 7 June 1944 | Co-piloted glider to Normandy, France. 7-Jun-44. |
|
Other Operation Dragoon |
Le Muy, France | 18 August 1944 | Co-piloted glider to Le Muy, France. 18-Aug-44. |
|
Other Operation Market Garden |
Eindhoven, Netherlands | 19 September 1944 | Co-piloted glider to Eindhoven, Holland. 19-Sep-44. |
|
Died |
Jacobs Well, Guildford, UK | 25 October 1944 | On mission to Denain / Pouvry, France went into an inverted dive and crashed into the ground at Jacobs Well, Guildford. It seemed the 5,000lb of cargo had shifted, disrupting the aircraft's Centre of Gravity. 25-Oct-44. Killed in Action (KIA). |
|
Buried |
26 October 1944 | Interred Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial | |
|
Based |
Greenham Common | 25 October 1944 | Assigned to 89TCS, 438TCG, 9AF USAAF. |
|
Buried |
Nichols, NY 13812, USA | Memorialised Nichols Cemetery Nichols Tioga County New York, USA |
Revisions
http://www.guildford-dragon.com/2012/04/20/the-wwii-crash-of-c47-lilly-…
https://www.fold3.com/image/312801590?terms=John%20E%20Wright
https://www.fold3.com/image/310770953/?terms=John%20E%20Wright
https://www.fold3.com/page/529903317_john_e%20wright/details/
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56295739
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=63277455
