World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
John C. Wilson
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Connecticut
Honored By
An Indebted American
FLEW AS A RADAR OPERATOR/NAVIGATOR/BOMBARDIER ABOARD AN 8TH AIR FORCE B-17 ON D-DAY. THE MISSION WAS TO HIT TARGETS NEAR THE SHORELINE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES BEFORE BRITISH AND CANADIAN TROOPS LANDED AT THE BEACHES; CODE-NAMED JUNO, SWORD AND GOLD. ALTHOUGH A CLOUDY DAY, THE RADAR SCREEN SHOWED BLIPS REPRESENTING THE SHIPS BELOW AND THE MISSION WAS SUCCESSFUL. FLEW HIS FIRST 14 MISSIONS MAINLY OVER GERMANY. TRAINED WITH NEW EQUIPMENT AND DEVELOPED A RADAR SCANNER. THE TECHNIQUE ENHANCED THE RADAR-TO-BOMBSIGHT CONNECTION AND COORDINATED BOMBING. FLEW WITH PATHFINDER FORCE (PFF) AND OFTEN WAS WITH THE LEAD PLANE. FLEW AN ADDITIONAL 31 MISSIONS.