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World War II Honoree

World War II Veteran

John Gilbert Winant, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

New York City, New York

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Branch Seal
Activity During WWII

Enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1942 and served as a pilot with 8th Air Force, 390th Bomb Group. His Flying Fortress B-17 plane was on its 13th combat mission, to the German city of Muenster, when it was shot down on October 10, 1943 and he was taken as a German Prisoner of War. Sent to Colditz, he was one of the Promimente, his father was US Ambassador to Great Britain, to be used as a bargaining chip by Heinrich Himmler and the SS as the end of the war approached, he was eventually released in May 1945. Received the Prisoner of War Medal, World War II Victory Medal and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.