World War II Honoree

John Johnson Webster

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Salt Lake City, Utah

Honored By

Family Friend

TURNED DOWN A CHURCH CALLING TO ENLIST IN THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN 1939. FIRST DUTY STATION WAS WHEELER FIELD IN HAWAII WHERE HE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED WITH HIS WIFE. AWAKENED BY THE BOMBING OF WHEELER FIELD ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. RAN OUT IN HIS PAJAMAS AND WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN AN M1 GARAND WHICH HE USED TO SHOOT AT JAPANESE PLANES IN THE FIRST ATTACK WAVE. AFTER THAT ATTACK HE DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE NO SERVICEABLE FIGHTERS LEFT AT WHEELER FIELD SO HE DROVE TO HALEIWA FIELD AND TOOK OFF IN A P-40 FIGHTER. HE ATTACKED A FLIGHT OF JAPANESE PLANES IN THE SECOND WAVE AND WAS HIMSELF ATTACKED AND WOUNDED BY A JAPANESE ZERO. HE WAS ABLE TO LAND SAFELY. FOR HIS ACTIONS HE WAS AWARDED A SILVER STAR AND A PURPLE HEART. LATER IN THE WAR HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO BOMBER COMMAND AND WAS THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF A BOMBER REPAIR FACILITY IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. ON FEBRUARY 24, 1944 HE VOLUNTEERED TO FLY A DAMAGED BOMBER BACK FROM WHERE IT HAD CRASH LANDED TO THE REPAIR FACILITY. ALL THE AVIONICS HAD BEEN SHOOT OUT SO HE WAS TO FOLLOW A LEAD PLANE BACK TO BASE. DURING THE FLIGHT A STORM CAME UP AND THE LEAD PLANE LOST SIGHT OF THE DAMAGED BOMBER. HONOREE WAS LISTED AS MISSING IN ACTION AND NEVER FOUND.