World War II Honoree

John M. Greeley

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Whitley County, Indiana

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS SEPTEMBER 10, 1942 AT FORT BENJAMIN, INDIANA. SERVED AS A DOUGLAS C-47 ‘SKYTRAIN’ TRANSPORT COPILOT ASSIGNED TO THE 95TH TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON, 440TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP, IX TROOP CARRIER COMMAND, A COMPONENT UNIT OF THE 9TH AIR FORCE STATIONED AT THE ROYAL AIR FORCE BOTTESFORD FIELD, U.S. ARMY AIRFIELD STATION #481, ENGLAND. KILLED IN ACTION ALONG WITH 3 OTHER CREWMEMBERS AND 18 PARATROOPERS, ASSIGNED TO I-COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, 506TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT IN THE DARK, EARLY MORNING HOURS, 01:40 ON D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944 DURING THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY, THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, CODE NAME: OPERATION OVERLORD. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN BY GERMAN MACHINE GUN FIRE AND ARTILLERY FLAK BEFORE IT REACHED THE DESIGNATED DROP ZONE-D LOCATED AT ANGOVILLE-AU-PLAIN, CRASHING NEAR MAGNEVILLE, NORTH OF ORGLANDES ON THE FRENCH COTENTIN PENINSULA. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO INDIANA, WITH INTERMENT IN A PRIVATE CEMETERY.