Born on March 15, 1945 in South Plainfield, New Jersey, John grew up in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard. He attended Tisbury School from kindergarten through 8th grade, before entering Millbrook School in upstate New York.
His sister and only sibling, Jenny Seward of Vineyard Haven, remembers that he "liked living on the edge, whether it was surfing, piloting a plane, or parachute jumping." John joined ROTC while attending Colgate University, and after graduation in 1966, became a pilot in the U. S. Navy Reserve. He also was trained as a jumpmaster.
After serving his first tour in Vietnam aboard the USS Coral Sea, he volunteered to fill a "plank" on the USS Oriskany.* An A-3 pilot and crew were needed to fill a vacancy. Ms. Seward's former husband, David, recalled that during his career as a pilot, John, at one time held the record for the number of hours he flew in an A-3 Skywarrior with well over 1800.
Reaching the end of his second tour, with only two weeks left to go, 26-year-old Lt. Painter was preparing for civilian life. Engaged to be married, he had bought some land in Aquinnah and lined up a job as a commercial pilot with American Airlines.
On June 18, 1971, while on an operational refueling mission over the Gulf of Tonkin, Lt. Painter's aircraft was observed entering a split S maneuver, which was standard procedure when disengaging from a fully fueled aircraft. The maneuver was designed to put as much distance between the two aircraft, and as quickly as possible. A plane can loose as much as 10,000 feet of altitude while performing it. The F-8 fighter pilot he had just refueled observed the A-3 entering into, what appeared to be, a second split S which led him to believe that Lt. Painter was experiencing a mechanical failure of unknown origin. The F-8 tried to catch up with the A-3 as it raced toward the Gulf at near supersonic speed. The impact was so devastating that John's body and those of his crew members, LTJG Raymond V. DeBlasio, Jr. of West Hempstead, NY and ADJ2 Barry A. Bidwell of Greensburg, PA were never recovered. Only small fragments of wreckage were found. John and his two crew members are listed as Missing in Action.
Two weeks after notification of his son's death, John's father collapsed in grief at the post office when he received a letter from his son stating he would be home in two weeks, and was excited to finally be able to begin his civilian life. Mr. Painter sold the land John bought in Aquinnah and donated the money to Colgate University in his son's name.
His family erected a memorial stone for him at their burial plot at Abels Hill, not far from one of his favorite surfing spots.
His sister Jenny remembers him this way: "No matter how many years have passed, every time I see the contrail from a jet, I think of my brother."
* The USS Oriskany was moth balled soon after the Vietnam war ended. On May 17, 2006 the venerated carrier, after being gutted and cleaned, was successfully sunk in the Gulf of Mexico to become a man made reef. A fitting end to a ship that served in three wars. She is still serving today, but in a much different capacity.
His sister and only sibling, Jenny Seward of Vineyard Haven, remembers that he "liked living on the edge, whether it was surfing, piloting a plane, or parachute jumping." John joined ROTC while attending Colgate University, and after graduation in 1966, became a pilot in the U. S. Navy Reserve. He also was trained as a jumpmaster.
After serving his first tour in Vietnam aboard the USS Coral Sea, he volunteered to fill a "plank" on the USS Oriskany.* An A-3 pilot and crew were needed to fill a vacancy. Ms. Seward's former husband, David, recalled that during his career as a pilot, John, at one time held the record for the number of hours he flew in an A-3 Skywarrior with well over 1800.
Reaching the end of his second tour, with only two weeks left to go, 26-year-old Lt. Painter was preparing for civilian life. Engaged to be married, he had bought some land in Aquinnah and lined up a job as a commercial pilot with American Airlines.
On June 18, 1971, while on an operational refueling mission over the Gulf of Tonkin, Lt. Painter's aircraft was observed entering a split S maneuver, which was standard procedure when disengaging from a fully fueled aircraft. The maneuver was designed to put as much distance between the two aircraft, and as quickly as possible. A plane can loose as much as 10,000 feet of altitude while performing it. The F-8 fighter pilot he had just refueled observed the A-3 entering into, what appeared to be, a second split S which led him to believe that Lt. Painter was experiencing a mechanical failure of unknown origin. The F-8 tried to catch up with the A-3 as it raced toward the Gulf at near supersonic speed. The impact was so devastating that John's body and those of his crew members, LTJG Raymond V. DeBlasio, Jr. of West Hempstead, NY and ADJ2 Barry A. Bidwell of Greensburg, PA were never recovered. Only small fragments of wreckage were found. John and his two crew members are listed as Missing in Action.
Two weeks after notification of his son's death, John's father collapsed in grief at the post office when he received a letter from his son stating he would be home in two weeks, and was excited to finally be able to begin his civilian life. Mr. Painter sold the land John bought in Aquinnah and donated the money to Colgate University in his son's name.
His family erected a memorial stone for him at their burial plot at Abels Hill, not far from one of his favorite surfing spots.
His sister Jenny remembers him this way: "No matter how many years have passed, every time I see the contrail from a jet, I think of my brother."
* The USS Oriskany was moth balled soon after the Vietnam war ended. On May 17, 2006 the venerated carrier, after being gutted and cleaned, was successfully sunk in the Gulf of Mexico to become a man made reef. A fitting end to a ship that served in three wars. She is still serving today, but in a much different capacity.
Born on March 15, 1945 in South Plainfield, New Jersey, John grew up in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard. He attended Tisbury School from kindergarten through 8th grade, before entering Millbrook School in upstate New York.
His sister and only sibling, Jenny Seward of Vineyard Haven, remembers that he "liked living on the edge, whether it was surfing, piloting a plane, or parachute jumping." John joined ROTC while attending Colgate University, and after graduation in 1966, became a pilot in the U. S. Navy Reserve. He also was trained as a jumpmaster.
After serving his first tour in Vietnam aboard the USS Coral Sea, he volunteered to fill a "plank" on the USS Oriskany.* An A-3 pilot and crew were needed to fill a vacancy. Ms. Seward's former husband, David, recalled that during his career as a pilot, John, at one time held the record for the number of hours he flew in an A-3 Skywarrior with well over 1800.
Reaching the end of his second tour, with only two weeks left to go, 26-year-old Lt. Painter was preparing for civilian life. Engaged to be married, he had bought some land in Aquinnah and lined up a job as a commercial pilot with American Airlines.
On June 18, 1971, while on an operational refueling mission over the Gulf of Tonkin, Lt. Painter's aircraft was observed entering a split S maneuver, which was standard procedure when disengaging from a fully fueled aircraft. The maneuver was designed to put as much distance between the two aircraft, and as quickly as possible. A plane can loose as much as 10,000 feet of altitude while performing it. The F-8 fighter pilot he had just refueled observed the A-3 entering into, what appeared to be, a second split S which led him to believe that Lt. Painter was experiencing a mechanical failure of unknown origin. The F-8 tried to catch up with the A-3 as it raced toward the Gulf at near supersonic speed. The impact was so devastating that John's body and those of his crew members, LTJG Raymond V. DeBlasio, Jr. of West Hempstead, NY and ADJ2 Barry A. Bidwell of Greensburg, PA were never recovered. Only small fragments of wreckage were found. John and his two crew members are listed as Missing in Action.
Two weeks after notification of his son's death, John's father collapsed in grief at the post office when he received a letter from his son stating he would be home in two weeks, and was excited to finally be able to begin his civilian life. Mr. Painter sold the land John bought in Aquinnah and donated the money to Colgate University in his son's name.
His family erected a memorial stone for him at their burial plot at Abels Hill, not far from one of his favorite surfing spots.
His sister Jenny remembers him this way: "No matter how many years have passed, every time I see the contrail from a jet, I think of my brother."
* The USS Oriskany was moth balled soon after the Vietnam war ended. On May 17, 2006 the venerated carrier, after being gutted and cleaned, was successfully sunk in the Gulf of Mexico to become a man made reef. A fitting end to a ship that served in three wars. She is still serving today, but in a much different capacity.
His sister and only sibling, Jenny Seward of Vineyard Haven, remembers that he "liked living on the edge, whether it was surfing, piloting a plane, or parachute jumping." John joined ROTC while attending Colgate University, and after graduation in 1966, became a pilot in the U. S. Navy Reserve. He also was trained as a jumpmaster.
After serving his first tour in Vietnam aboard the USS Coral Sea, he volunteered to fill a "plank" on the USS Oriskany.* An A-3 pilot and crew were needed to fill a vacancy. Ms. Seward's former husband, David, recalled that during his career as a pilot, John, at one time held the record for the number of hours he flew in an A-3 Skywarrior with well over 1800.
Reaching the end of his second tour, with only two weeks left to go, 26-year-old Lt. Painter was preparing for civilian life. Engaged to be married, he had bought some land in Aquinnah and lined up a job as a commercial pilot with American Airlines.
On June 18, 1971, while on an operational refueling mission over the Gulf of Tonkin, Lt. Painter's aircraft was observed entering a split S maneuver, which was standard procedure when disengaging from a fully fueled aircraft. The maneuver was designed to put as much distance between the two aircraft, and as quickly as possible. A plane can loose as much as 10,000 feet of altitude while performing it. The F-8 fighter pilot he had just refueled observed the A-3 entering into, what appeared to be, a second split S which led him to believe that Lt. Painter was experiencing a mechanical failure of unknown origin. The F-8 tried to catch up with the A-3 as it raced toward the Gulf at near supersonic speed. The impact was so devastating that John's body and those of his crew members, LTJG Raymond V. DeBlasio, Jr. of West Hempstead, NY and ADJ2 Barry A. Bidwell of Greensburg, PA were never recovered. Only small fragments of wreckage were found. John and his two crew members are listed as Missing in Action.
Two weeks after notification of his son's death, John's father collapsed in grief at the post office when he received a letter from his son stating he would be home in two weeks, and was excited to finally be able to begin his civilian life. Mr. Painter sold the land John bought in Aquinnah and donated the money to Colgate University in his son's name.
His family erected a memorial stone for him at their burial plot at Abels Hill, not far from one of his favorite surfing spots.
His sister Jenny remembers him this way: "No matter how many years have passed, every time I see the contrail from a jet, I think of my brother."
* The USS Oriskany was moth balled soon after the Vietnam war ended. On May 17, 2006 the venerated carrier, after being gutted and cleaned, was successfully sunk in the Gulf of Mexico to become a man made reef. A fitting end to a ship that served in three wars. She is still serving today, but in a much different capacity.
Gravesite Details
Johnny's parents are buried close to his memorial marker.
