John served as a Staff Sergeant and Radio Operator / Gunner on B-29 " Small Fry " #42-24760, 875th Bomber Squadron, 498th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 15, 1942 at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the production of beverages and also as being Married.
B-29 " Small Fry " #42-24760 took off, with a crew of " 11 ", from Isely Field, Saipan on a bombing mission over the Nakajima aircraft plant, Ota, Japan. After a successful bombing run and while returning to Saipan a radio message from Sgt. Robert J. Thomas was received. He noting that they were approximately 30 miles north of Saipan, had run out of fuel, and were ditching. The entire crew was lost in the ditching.
John was declared "Missing In Action" in this ditching during the war.
He was awarded an Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # 32265430
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-29 #42-24760:
Boden, William H. ~ Sgt, CFC, MT
Branson, Sterling T. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, MO
Coyle, Maurice J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, RI
Nickols, John, Jr. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, DE
Sauncy, William P. ~ Sgt, Right Gunner, WI
Selby, William R. ~ 1st Lt, Flight Engineer, DC
Stiltner, Elster L. ~ Sgt, Left Gunner, VA
Thomas, Robert J. ~ Sgt, Radar Operator, WV
Thompson, David W., Jr. ~ 1st Lt, Bombardier, TN
Waters, Thomas J. ~ Corp, Tail Gunner, MO
Yeilding, Howard G., II ~ 1st Lt., Pilot, OK
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 15, 1942 at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the production of beverages and also as being Married.
B-29 " Small Fry " #42-24760 took off, with a crew of " 11 ", from Isely Field, Saipan on a bombing mission over the Nakajima aircraft plant, Ota, Japan. After a successful bombing run and while returning to Saipan a radio message from Sgt. Robert J. Thomas was received. He noting that they were approximately 30 miles north of Saipan, had run out of fuel, and were ditching. The entire crew was lost in the ditching.
John was declared "Missing In Action" in this ditching during the war.
He was awarded an Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # 32265430
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-29 #42-24760:
Boden, William H. ~ Sgt, CFC, MT
Branson, Sterling T. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, MO
Coyle, Maurice J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, RI
Nickols, John, Jr. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, DE
Sauncy, William P. ~ Sgt, Right Gunner, WI
Selby, William R. ~ 1st Lt, Flight Engineer, DC
Stiltner, Elster L. ~ Sgt, Left Gunner, VA
Thomas, Robert J. ~ Sgt, Radar Operator, WV
Thompson, David W., Jr. ~ 1st Lt, Bombardier, TN
Waters, Thomas J. ~ Corp, Tail Gunner, MO
Yeilding, Howard G., II ~ 1st Lt., Pilot, OK
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
John served as a Staff Sergeant and Radio Operator / Gunner on B-29 " Small Fry " #42-24760, 875th Bomber Squadron, 498th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 15, 1942 at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the production of beverages and also as being Married.
B-29 " Small Fry " #42-24760 took off, with a crew of " 11 ", from Isely Field, Saipan on a bombing mission over the Nakajima aircraft plant, Ota, Japan. After a successful bombing run and while returning to Saipan a radio message from Sgt. Robert J. Thomas was received. He noting that they were approximately 30 miles north of Saipan, had run out of fuel, and were ditching. The entire crew was lost in the ditching.
John was declared "Missing In Action" in this ditching during the war.
He was awarded an Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # 32265430
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-29 #42-24760:
Boden, William H. ~ Sgt, CFC, MT
Branson, Sterling T. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, MO
Coyle, Maurice J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, RI
Nickols, John, Jr. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, DE
Sauncy, William P. ~ Sgt, Right Gunner, WI
Selby, William R. ~ 1st Lt, Flight Engineer, DC
Stiltner, Elster L. ~ Sgt, Left Gunner, VA
Thomas, Robert J. ~ Sgt, Radar Operator, WV
Thompson, David W., Jr. ~ 1st Lt, Bombardier, TN
Waters, Thomas J. ~ Corp, Tail Gunner, MO
Yeilding, Howard G., II ~ 1st Lt., Pilot, OK
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 15, 1942 at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the production of beverages and also as being Married.
B-29 " Small Fry " #42-24760 took off, with a crew of " 11 ", from Isely Field, Saipan on a bombing mission over the Nakajima aircraft plant, Ota, Japan. After a successful bombing run and while returning to Saipan a radio message from Sgt. Robert J. Thomas was received. He noting that they were approximately 30 miles north of Saipan, had run out of fuel, and were ditching. The entire crew was lost in the ditching.
John was declared "Missing In Action" in this ditching during the war.
He was awarded an Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # 32265430
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-29 #42-24760:
Boden, William H. ~ Sgt, CFC, MT
Branson, Sterling T. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, MO
Coyle, Maurice J. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, RI
Nickols, John, Jr. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, DE
Sauncy, William P. ~ Sgt, Right Gunner, WI
Selby, William R. ~ 1st Lt, Flight Engineer, DC
Stiltner, Elster L. ~ Sgt, Left Gunner, VA
Thomas, Robert J. ~ Sgt, Radar Operator, WV
Thompson, David W., Jr. ~ 1st Lt, Bombardier, TN
Waters, Thomas J. ~ Corp, Tail Gunner, MO
Yeilding, Howard G., II ~ 1st Lt., Pilot, OK
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Delaware.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Nickols memorials in:
Advertisement
