SSGT John Dayton Reed, Jr., an engineer and gunner stationed with the 15th Air Force in Italy, was flying his 13th mission over enemy territory when the B-24 Liberator he was flying in was attacked head by German fighters. The plane took heavy damage from cannon and machine gun fire, fell out of formation on fire, and the crew abandoned ship. The plane exploded before SSGT Reed was able to bail out. His pilot, John O'Connor later wrote to one of John's sisters saying in part
"The tail gunner, Sgt Rackmeyer, told me that when he left Sgt Reed and Sgt Lunsford the only two left in the waist were both alive and unwounded. Why they did not immediately follow I do not know. The plane exploded a very short while and I fear that Sgt Reed with is usual concern for 'his boys' would have insisted on being the last man to leave the plane."
SSGT Reed's body was identified by the planes radio man who landed near the wreckage and was immediately captured. The Germans found the body and removed a Bible from the clothing. It was a Bible that SSgt Reed's mother had given him and which he carried on every mission.
SSGT Reed was married to Winnifred (maiden name not known), who was residing in Holsopple, Pennsylvania at the time of his death. They had no children.
This data was drawn from letters by crew members and newspaper articles from SSGT Reed's hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa.
Airmen who perished on B-24H "Buttercup" (#42-52256):
Harden, William J ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier/Navigator, Delaware
Lunsford, Raymond E ~ S/Sgt, California
Reed, John D, Jr ~ S/Sgt, Iowa
West, William M ~ 2nd Lt, California
( Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
"The tail gunner, Sgt Rackmeyer, told me that when he left Sgt Reed and Sgt Lunsford the only two left in the waist were both alive and unwounded. Why they did not immediately follow I do not know. The plane exploded a very short while and I fear that Sgt Reed with is usual concern for 'his boys' would have insisted on being the last man to leave the plane."
SSGT Reed's body was identified by the planes radio man who landed near the wreckage and was immediately captured. The Germans found the body and removed a Bible from the clothing. It was a Bible that SSgt Reed's mother had given him and which he carried on every mission.
SSGT Reed was married to Winnifred (maiden name not known), who was residing in Holsopple, Pennsylvania at the time of his death. They had no children.
This data was drawn from letters by crew members and newspaper articles from SSGT Reed's hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa.
Airmen who perished on B-24H "Buttercup" (#42-52256):
Harden, William J ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier/Navigator, Delaware
Lunsford, Raymond E ~ S/Sgt, California
Reed, John D, Jr ~ S/Sgt, Iowa
West, William M ~ 2nd Lt, California
( Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
SSGT John Dayton Reed, Jr., an engineer and gunner stationed with the 15th Air Force in Italy, was flying his 13th mission over enemy territory when the B-24 Liberator he was flying in was attacked head by German fighters. The plane took heavy damage from cannon and machine gun fire, fell out of formation on fire, and the crew abandoned ship. The plane exploded before SSGT Reed was able to bail out. His pilot, John O'Connor later wrote to one of John's sisters saying in part
"The tail gunner, Sgt Rackmeyer, told me that when he left Sgt Reed and Sgt Lunsford the only two left in the waist were both alive and unwounded. Why they did not immediately follow I do not know. The plane exploded a very short while and I fear that Sgt Reed with is usual concern for 'his boys' would have insisted on being the last man to leave the plane."
SSGT Reed's body was identified by the planes radio man who landed near the wreckage and was immediately captured. The Germans found the body and removed a Bible from the clothing. It was a Bible that SSgt Reed's mother had given him and which he carried on every mission.
SSGT Reed was married to Winnifred (maiden name not known), who was residing in Holsopple, Pennsylvania at the time of his death. They had no children.
This data was drawn from letters by crew members and newspaper articles from SSGT Reed's hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa.
Airmen who perished on B-24H "Buttercup" (#42-52256):
Harden, William J ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier/Navigator, Delaware
Lunsford, Raymond E ~ S/Sgt, California
Reed, John D, Jr ~ S/Sgt, Iowa
West, William M ~ 2nd Lt, California
( Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
"The tail gunner, Sgt Rackmeyer, told me that when he left Sgt Reed and Sgt Lunsford the only two left in the waist were both alive and unwounded. Why they did not immediately follow I do not know. The plane exploded a very short while and I fear that Sgt Reed with is usual concern for 'his boys' would have insisted on being the last man to leave the plane."
SSGT Reed's body was identified by the planes radio man who landed near the wreckage and was immediately captured. The Germans found the body and removed a Bible from the clothing. It was a Bible that SSgt Reed's mother had given him and which he carried on every mission.
SSGT Reed was married to Winnifred (maiden name not known), who was residing in Holsopple, Pennsylvania at the time of his death. They had no children.
This data was drawn from letters by crew members and newspaper articles from SSGT Reed's hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa.
Airmen who perished on B-24H "Buttercup" (#42-52256):
Harden, William J ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier/Navigator, Delaware
Lunsford, Raymond E ~ S/Sgt, California
Reed, John D, Jr ~ S/Sgt, Iowa
West, William M ~ 2nd Lt, California
( Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
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