World War II Honoree

John Yazujian

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

New York City, New York

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: STAFF SERGEANT. SERVED AS A B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BOMBER RADIO OPERATOR ASSIGNED TO THE 677TH BOMB SQUADRON, 444TH BOMB GROUP, 58TH BOMB WING, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, U.S. 20TH AIR FORCE. HIS UNIT WAS STATIONED AT THE WEST FIELD ‘GURGUAN POINT’, TINIAN, MARIANA ISLANDS, PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ON HIS 29TH MISSION, FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1945 HE WAS KILLED WHEN HIS SUPERFORTRESS WAS SHOT DOWN DURING A PATHFINDER CARPET-BOMBING INCENDIARY RAID OVER TOKYO. THERE WERE 11 CREWMEN ON BOARD, 2 BAILED OUT AND 9 PERISHED IN THE DISASTER AND HE WAS LATER REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 1945. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE RECOVERED AND RETURNED TO THIS FAMILY MARCH 20, 1950, WITH INTERMENT IN THE JEFFERSON BARRACKS NATIONAL CEMETERY, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: THE SERGEANT WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS FOR HEROISM OR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT. THE AIR MEDAL WITH 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT. THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.