World War II Honoree

John T. Reed

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Madison, Indiana

Honored By

Jeffrey D. Jankosky

Relationship

Grandson

SERVED WITH THE 324TH FIGHTER GROUP AND FLEW A TOTAL OF 46 MISSIONS IN HIS CURTISS P-40 AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED FOR DIVE-BOMBING. STARTING OVER THE SKIES OF SICILY HE AND THE REST OF HIS SQUADRON FOUGHT THEIR WAY UP THE ITALIAN PENINSULA EVENTUALLY REACHING THE CITY OF ROME. HE VOLUNTEERED FOR HIS FATEFUL 46TH MISSION IN WHICH HIS LEG AND AIRCRAFT WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED BY GROUND FIRE FROM AN 88 FLAK CANNON DURING HIS BOMBING RUN. UNABLE TO USE HIS LEG HE WAS FORCED TO LAND HIS DAMAGED P-40 'WHEELS UP' ON A MAKESHIFT LANDING FIELD JUST A FEW MILES FROM ENEMY LINES. AFTER BEING PULLED FROM THE WRECKAGE HE MISSED SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PAIN RELIEVING MEDICATION ON HIS JOURNEY TO MEDICAL TREATMENT. BY THE TIME HE MADE IT TO A FIELD HOSPITAL HE REFUSED PAIN TREATMENT FEELING THAT THE MORE SEVERELY INJURED INFANTRY WHO WERE POURING IN FROM THE FRONT WOULD NEED IT MORE. AFTER SPENDING TWO MONTHS RECOVERING FROM HIS INJURIES IN ROME, HE SPENT THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS ATTEMPTING TO REJOIN THE REST OF HIS SQUADRON FINALLY ENDING HIS SEARCH IN FRANCE. BUT BY THE TIME HE CAUGHT UP WITH THEM THE WAR WAS WINDING DOWN AND HE WAS ULTIMATELY SENT HOME. RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART, THE AIR MEDAL AND THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS.