World War II Honoree

John P. Quinn

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Williamsville, New York

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 20 JANUARY 1943 IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. HE SERVED AS THE RADIO OPERATOR AND AERIAL GUNNER, ONBOARD A B-17 FLYING FORTRESS WITH THE 8TH AIR FORCE, 398TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY), 600TH BOMB SQUADRON, BASED AT NUTHAMPSTEAD AIR FIELD, IN HERTFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND. HIS B-17 (TAIL #42-107218) NICKNAMED 'AGONY WAGON II' WAS SHOT DOWN ON 7 JULY 1944, DURING A BOMBING MISSION TO HIT AN OIL REFINERY IN LEIPZIG, GERMANY. JUST AFTER THE BOMBS WERE DROPPED AND THEY WERE TURNING FOR HOME, THE AIRCRAFT TOOK A FLAK BURST UNDER THE TOP TURRET PLATFORM AND A FIRE STARTED IN THE BOMB BAY. HE AND THE FLIGHT ENGINEER MANAGED TO EXTINGUISH THE BOMB BAY FIRE, BUT THEY WERE SLOWLY LOSING ALTITUDE. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD SWEDEN, BUT WITH ONE ENGINE ON FIRE AND ANOTHER THROWING OIL, THE CREW BAILED OUT AT AROUND 12,000 FEET OVER ENEMY TERRITORY NEAR HALLE, GERMANY. THE AIRCREW BECAME PRISONERS OF WAR. ON 6 FEBRUARY 1945, THE GERMAN SOLDIERS EVACUATED ALL PRISONERS OF WAR FROM STALAG LUFT IV TO FOLLINGBOSTEL, NEAR HANOVER, GERMANY (VIA A FORCED “DEATH-LIKE MARCH” OF APPROXIMATELY 700 KILOMETERS OVER 70 DAYS). AT THIS POINT HE MADE AN ESCAPE, AND AFTER NINE DAYS WAS EVENTUALLY RESCUED BY BRITISH SOLDIERS. HE THEN CAUGHT A HOP ON A BRITISH DAKOTA (DOUGLAS C-47 SKYTRAIN) AND WAS FLOWN TO ENGLAND, LANDING AT A SCOTTISH AIR BASE. HE SPENT THREE WEEKS AT A GENERAL HOSPITAL NEAR CAMBRIDGE, THEN A MONTH IN LONDON, AND FINALLY SAILED FOR HOME IN A LANDING SHIP, TANK (LST).