Captain John William Mullaney, Jr. (O-792140) was born on December 19, 1918 in New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, to John William and Viola E. Mullaney. His father was a plumber on building projects. John had one older sister, three younger sisters, and one younger brother.
John graduated from Hope High School, Providence, Rhode Island, in 1937. His nickname was "Chunk," and he was known in High School for his broad grin and cheerful greeting for everyone.
John enlisted in the Army Air Forces on January 7, 1942. He was single, had completed one year of college at Bryant College in Smithfield, Rhode Island, and had worked as a stock clerk. John became a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilot and earned his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant. He was assigned to the 512th Fighter Squadron, 406th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force.
Second Lieutenant Mullaney and the 406th Fighter Group shipped off to England on March 13, 1944 to the Army Air Forces station AAF-417 in Ashford, Kent, England. The 406th's missions out of Ashford involved attacking German positions in France, including anti-aircraft sites, supply lines, roads, airfields, railroads, troop and equipment movements, and communication centers. These missions were prior to and following the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944.
On July 30, 1944, (now) Captain Mullaney, flying P-47D-27 Thunderbolt No. 42-26791, leading a flight of the 512th, departed AAF-417 on an armed recce mission to strafe and bomb targets of opportunity in northern France. They were approaching Amiens ,70 miles north of Paris, when two trucks were sighted on a highway. Capt. Mullaney and another P-47 peeled off to attack the second truck. Capt. Mullaney went over his target, did a steep right wing-over turn down onto it and hit the ground in front of it. He slid, began to disintegrate and burn, and hit a wooded area where the aircraft exploded twice and began to burn fiercely.
The Missing Air Crew Report filed by a member of his flight indicated that Capt. Mullaney probably misjudged the steepness of his wing-over while still carrying a 500-pound bomb under each wing, contributing to his inability to pull out of the dive. Although there was some light flak in the general area, there was none around the two trucks. Captain John W. Mullaney, Jr. was killed in action July 30, 1944 at 0835 hours 20 miles west of Amiens, France behind German lines. He was 25 years old. MACR 7668
The Germans recovered the burned body of Capt. Mullaney the next day, July 31, and buried him in the cemetery of the small town of Dreuil-lès-Molliens. The German report J1775 said that Capt. Mullaney had been shot down by 20cm flak and that he crashed at 0835 hours at Montagne-Fayel 10.5 miles north of Poix, France.
Capt. Mullaney was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.
Capt. Mullaney's remains were disinterred at Dreuil-lès-Molliens and reburied in the North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island, Row A-1, Grave #11. His name is also commemorated on a plaque located at Great Chart, Kent, England, UK where the village has a war monument and two plaques containing the Roll of Honor to the American Army Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force from Ashford who were Killed in Action.
Contributor: JMelde (49869627) • [email protected]
A report from a French newspaper (provided courtesy of Franck Chambault of Airaines, France), published two days after Capt. Mullaney crashed, reported that the truck he attacked was actually a French dairy truck from Airaines.
In the French newspaper, "Les Progrès de la Somme" dated Tuesday August 1, 1944, and published from Amiens, France, the following news report appeared:
"The department under the bombs -
In the immediate region of Amiens, Anglo-American planes bombarded the territory of the localities of B., S., P. on Sunday morning. No casualties, but major material damage is announced.
Saturday, around 6:30 p.m., the commune of M., in the canton of Albert, suffered a violent bombardment. There, the damage was also significant.
***** A formation of Anglo-American light bombers attacked Sunday, July 30, between Montagne-Fayel and Mericourt-Vimeu, a truck of the Société Cooperative Laitiere (Dairy Farmers) d'Airaines which it machine-gunned. The driver was not hit, but the deliveryman, Robert Pringuet, and a passenger, Pierre Poiret, were injured by bullets. (Robert Pringuet is shown in photo on right with Airaines dairy trucks.)
One of the aircraft (Capt. Mullaney's) hit the truck, got rid of his three bombs, and went down a little further in a woods. The pilot was found in the wreckage half-charred. *****
Also on Sunday evening, around 4:30 p.m., bombs were dropped on the territory of the city of H… Buildings were damaged and a house was completely destroyed."
Contributor: JMelde (49869627) • [email protected]
report from a French newspaper (provided courtesy of Franck Chambault of Airaines, France), published two days after Capt. Mullaney crashed, reported that the truck he attacked was actually a French dairy truck from Airaines.
John graduated from Hope High School, Providence, Rhode Island, in 1937. His nickname was "Chunk," and he was known in High School for his broad grin and cheerful greeting for everyone.
John enlisted in the Army Air Forces on January 7, 1942. He was single, had completed one year of college at Bryant College in Smithfield, Rhode Island, and had worked as a stock clerk. John became a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilot and earned his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant. He was assigned to the 512th Fighter Squadron, 406th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force.
Second Lieutenant Mullaney and the 406th Fighter Group shipped off to England on March 13, 1944 to the Army Air Forces station AAF-417 in Ashford, Kent, England. The 406th's missions out of Ashford involved attacking German positions in France, including anti-aircraft sites, supply lines, roads, airfields, railroads, troop and equipment movements, and communication centers. These missions were prior to and following the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944.
On July 30, 1944, (now) Captain Mullaney, flying P-47D-27 Thunderbolt No. 42-26791, leading a flight of the 512th, departed AAF-417 on an armed recce mission to strafe and bomb targets of opportunity in northern France. They were approaching Amiens ,70 miles north of Paris, when two trucks were sighted on a highway. Capt. Mullaney and another P-47 peeled off to attack the second truck. Capt. Mullaney went over his target, did a steep right wing-over turn down onto it and hit the ground in front of it. He slid, began to disintegrate and burn, and hit a wooded area where the aircraft exploded twice and began to burn fiercely.
The Missing Air Crew Report filed by a member of his flight indicated that Capt. Mullaney probably misjudged the steepness of his wing-over while still carrying a 500-pound bomb under each wing, contributing to his inability to pull out of the dive. Although there was some light flak in the general area, there was none around the two trucks. Captain John W. Mullaney, Jr. was killed in action July 30, 1944 at 0835 hours 20 miles west of Amiens, France behind German lines. He was 25 years old. MACR 7668
The Germans recovered the burned body of Capt. Mullaney the next day, July 31, and buried him in the cemetery of the small town of Dreuil-lès-Molliens. The German report J1775 said that Capt. Mullaney had been shot down by 20cm flak and that he crashed at 0835 hours at Montagne-Fayel 10.5 miles north of Poix, France.
Capt. Mullaney was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.
Capt. Mullaney's remains were disinterred at Dreuil-lès-Molliens and reburied in the North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island, Row A-1, Grave #11. His name is also commemorated on a plaque located at Great Chart, Kent, England, UK where the village has a war monument and two plaques containing the Roll of Honor to the American Army Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force from Ashford who were Killed in Action.
Contributor: JMelde (49869627) • [email protected]
A report from a French newspaper (provided courtesy of Franck Chambault of Airaines, France), published two days after Capt. Mullaney crashed, reported that the truck he attacked was actually a French dairy truck from Airaines.
In the French newspaper, "Les Progrès de la Somme" dated Tuesday August 1, 1944, and published from Amiens, France, the following news report appeared:
"The department under the bombs -
In the immediate region of Amiens, Anglo-American planes bombarded the territory of the localities of B., S., P. on Sunday morning. No casualties, but major material damage is announced.
Saturday, around 6:30 p.m., the commune of M., in the canton of Albert, suffered a violent bombardment. There, the damage was also significant.
***** A formation of Anglo-American light bombers attacked Sunday, July 30, between Montagne-Fayel and Mericourt-Vimeu, a truck of the Société Cooperative Laitiere (Dairy Farmers) d'Airaines which it machine-gunned. The driver was not hit, but the deliveryman, Robert Pringuet, and a passenger, Pierre Poiret, were injured by bullets. (Robert Pringuet is shown in photo on right with Airaines dairy trucks.)
One of the aircraft (Capt. Mullaney's) hit the truck, got rid of his three bombs, and went down a little further in a woods. The pilot was found in the wreckage half-charred. *****
Also on Sunday evening, around 4:30 p.m., bombs were dropped on the territory of the city of H… Buildings were damaged and a house was completely destroyed."
Contributor: JMelde (49869627) • [email protected]
report from a French newspaper (provided courtesy of Franck Chambault of Airaines, France), published two days after Capt. Mullaney crashed, reported that the truck he attacked was actually a French dairy truck from Airaines.
Captain John William Mullaney, Jr. (O-792140) was born on December 19, 1918 in New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, to John William and Viola E. Mullaney. His father was a plumber on building projects. John had one older sister, three younger sisters, and one younger brother.
John graduated from Hope High School, Providence, Rhode Island, in 1937. His nickname was "Chunk," and he was known in High School for his broad grin and cheerful greeting for everyone.
John enlisted in the Army Air Forces on January 7, 1942. He was single, had completed one year of college at Bryant College in Smithfield, Rhode Island, and had worked as a stock clerk. John became a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilot and earned his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant. He was assigned to the 512th Fighter Squadron, 406th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force.
Second Lieutenant Mullaney and the 406th Fighter Group shipped off to England on March 13, 1944 to the Army Air Forces station AAF-417 in Ashford, Kent, England. The 406th's missions out of Ashford involved attacking German positions in France, including anti-aircraft sites, supply lines, roads, airfields, railroads, troop and equipment movements, and communication centers. These missions were prior to and following the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944.
On July 30, 1944, (now) Captain Mullaney, flying P-47D-27 Thunderbolt No. 42-26791, leading a flight of the 512th, departed AAF-417 on an armed recce mission to strafe and bomb targets of opportunity in northern France. They were approaching Amiens ,70 miles north of Paris, when two trucks were sighted on a highway. Capt. Mullaney and another P-47 peeled off to attack the second truck. Capt. Mullaney went over his target, did a steep right wing-over turn down onto it and hit the ground in front of it. He slid, began to disintegrate and burn, and hit a wooded area where the aircraft exploded twice and began to burn fiercely.
The Missing Air Crew Report filed by a member of his flight indicated that Capt. Mullaney probably misjudged the steepness of his wing-over while still carrying a 500-pound bomb under each wing, contributing to his inability to pull out of the dive. Although there was some light flak in the general area, there was none around the two trucks. Captain John W. Mullaney, Jr. was killed in action July 30, 1944 at 0835 hours 20 miles west of Amiens, France behind German lines. He was 25 years old. MACR 7668
The Germans recovered the burned body of Capt. Mullaney the next day, July 31, and buried him in the cemetery of the small town of Dreuil-lès-Molliens. The German report J1775 said that Capt. Mullaney had been shot down by 20cm flak and that he crashed at 0835 hours at Montagne-Fayel 10.5 miles north of Poix, France.
Capt. Mullaney was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.
Capt. Mullaney's remains were disinterred at Dreuil-lès-Molliens and reburied in the North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island, Row A-1, Grave #11. His name is also commemorated on a plaque located at Great Chart, Kent, England, UK where the village has a war monument and two plaques containing the Roll of Honor to the American Army Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force from Ashford who were Killed in Action.
Contributor: JMelde (49869627) • [email protected]
A report from a French newspaper (provided courtesy of Franck Chambault of Airaines, France), published two days after Capt. Mullaney crashed, reported that the truck he attacked was actually a French dairy truck from Airaines.
In the French newspaper, "Les Progrès de la Somme" dated Tuesday August 1, 1944, and published from Amiens, France, the following news report appeared:
"The department under the bombs -
In the immediate region of Amiens, Anglo-American planes bombarded the territory of the localities of B., S., P. on Sunday morning. No casualties, but major material damage is announced.
Saturday, around 6:30 p.m., the commune of M., in the canton of Albert, suffered a violent bombardment. There, the damage was also significant.
***** A formation of Anglo-American light bombers attacked Sunday, July 30, between Montagne-Fayel and Mericourt-Vimeu, a truck of the Société Cooperative Laitiere (Dairy Farmers) d'Airaines which it machine-gunned. The driver was not hit, but the deliveryman, Robert Pringuet, and a passenger, Pierre Poiret, were injured by bullets. (Robert Pringuet is shown in photo on right with Airaines dairy trucks.)
One of the aircraft (Capt. Mullaney's) hit the truck, got rid of his three bombs, and went down a little further in a woods. The pilot was found in the wreckage half-charred. *****
Also on Sunday evening, around 4:30 p.m., bombs were dropped on the territory of the city of H… Buildings were damaged and a house was completely destroyed."
Contributor: JMelde (49869627) • [email protected]
report from a French newspaper (provided courtesy of Franck Chambault of Airaines, France), published two days after Capt. Mullaney crashed, reported that the truck he attacked was actually a French dairy truck from Airaines.
John graduated from Hope High School, Providence, Rhode Island, in 1937. His nickname was "Chunk," and he was known in High School for his broad grin and cheerful greeting for everyone.
John enlisted in the Army Air Forces on January 7, 1942. He was single, had completed one year of college at Bryant College in Smithfield, Rhode Island, and had worked as a stock clerk. John became a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilot and earned his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant. He was assigned to the 512th Fighter Squadron, 406th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force.
Second Lieutenant Mullaney and the 406th Fighter Group shipped off to England on March 13, 1944 to the Army Air Forces station AAF-417 in Ashford, Kent, England. The 406th's missions out of Ashford involved attacking German positions in France, including anti-aircraft sites, supply lines, roads, airfields, railroads, troop and equipment movements, and communication centers. These missions were prior to and following the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944.
On July 30, 1944, (now) Captain Mullaney, flying P-47D-27 Thunderbolt No. 42-26791, leading a flight of the 512th, departed AAF-417 on an armed recce mission to strafe and bomb targets of opportunity in northern France. They were approaching Amiens ,70 miles north of Paris, when two trucks were sighted on a highway. Capt. Mullaney and another P-47 peeled off to attack the second truck. Capt. Mullaney went over his target, did a steep right wing-over turn down onto it and hit the ground in front of it. He slid, began to disintegrate and burn, and hit a wooded area where the aircraft exploded twice and began to burn fiercely.
The Missing Air Crew Report filed by a member of his flight indicated that Capt. Mullaney probably misjudged the steepness of his wing-over while still carrying a 500-pound bomb under each wing, contributing to his inability to pull out of the dive. Although there was some light flak in the general area, there was none around the two trucks. Captain John W. Mullaney, Jr. was killed in action July 30, 1944 at 0835 hours 20 miles west of Amiens, France behind German lines. He was 25 years old. MACR 7668
The Germans recovered the burned body of Capt. Mullaney the next day, July 31, and buried him in the cemetery of the small town of Dreuil-lès-Molliens. The German report J1775 said that Capt. Mullaney had been shot down by 20cm flak and that he crashed at 0835 hours at Montagne-Fayel 10.5 miles north of Poix, France.
Capt. Mullaney was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.
Capt. Mullaney's remains were disinterred at Dreuil-lès-Molliens and reburied in the North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island, Row A-1, Grave #11. His name is also commemorated on a plaque located at Great Chart, Kent, England, UK where the village has a war monument and two plaques containing the Roll of Honor to the American Army Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force from Ashford who were Killed in Action.
Contributor: JMelde (49869627) • [email protected]
A report from a French newspaper (provided courtesy of Franck Chambault of Airaines, France), published two days after Capt. Mullaney crashed, reported that the truck he attacked was actually a French dairy truck from Airaines.
In the French newspaper, "Les Progrès de la Somme" dated Tuesday August 1, 1944, and published from Amiens, France, the following news report appeared:
"The department under the bombs -
In the immediate region of Amiens, Anglo-American planes bombarded the territory of the localities of B., S., P. on Sunday morning. No casualties, but major material damage is announced.
Saturday, around 6:30 p.m., the commune of M., in the canton of Albert, suffered a violent bombardment. There, the damage was also significant.
***** A formation of Anglo-American light bombers attacked Sunday, July 30, between Montagne-Fayel and Mericourt-Vimeu, a truck of the Société Cooperative Laitiere (Dairy Farmers) d'Airaines which it machine-gunned. The driver was not hit, but the deliveryman, Robert Pringuet, and a passenger, Pierre Poiret, were injured by bullets. (Robert Pringuet is shown in photo on right with Airaines dairy trucks.)
One of the aircraft (Capt. Mullaney's) hit the truck, got rid of his three bombs, and went down a little further in a woods. The pilot was found in the wreckage half-charred. *****
Also on Sunday evening, around 4:30 p.m., bombs were dropped on the territory of the city of H… Buildings were damaged and a house was completely destroyed."
Contributor: JMelde (49869627) • [email protected]
report from a French newspaper (provided courtesy of Franck Chambault of Airaines, France), published two days after Capt. Mullaney crashed, reported that the truck he attacked was actually a French dairy truck from Airaines.
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