World War II Honoree

John W. Wilson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Des Moines, Iowa

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: First Lieutenant. Inducted into the United States Army January 14, 1942 at Kansas City, Kansas. Upon his graduation from recruit training, he was designated to attend the Flight Aviation Training Program. As a graduate of the Aviation Cadet program, he accepted his commission and Pilot Wings. He served as a B-17 ‘Flying-Fortress’ Bomber Pilot, assigned to the 401stBomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, an element of the U.S. 8th Air Force ‘Mighty Eighth’ Army Air Forces. His unit was based at the Bassingbourn Royal Air Force Station Location: Cambridgeshire, England. Saturday, April 17, 1943 he was killed in action, when his bomber was shot down by German Fighters, crashing near Hassel, Germany. His Squadron was dispatched to assist in a raid on the ball bearing factory Location: Schweinfurt, Germany. Personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him in the Neuville-en-Condroz Battlefield Cemetery, Liege, Belgium. In the post-war era, this Airman’s family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Ardennes American Cemetery Location: Neupre (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal was awarded to the Lieutenant for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.