Son of George Pindroch who resided in Cleveland, Ohio.

John served as a Sergeant & Left Waist Gunner, on B17G "Susan Ruth" #42-31499, 369th Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Cuyahoga County, Ohio prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on October 21, 1942 at Camp Perry, Lacarne, Ohio. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a mechanic and also as Single, without dependents.

John's B-17 was shot down and crashed near Macquenoise, Belgium during the war on February 8, 1944 and he became a Prisoner Of War.

John was "Shot and Killed" while a POW of the German Army. It is currently unclear if he was trying to escape or was simply executed. POW's 1st Lt. Robert J. Benninger and 1st Lt. George W. Eike were also shot and killed on this same day.

He was awarded the Prisoner Of War Medal, Air Medal and the Purple Heart with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster.

Service # 15329492

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who lost their lives from B17G #42-31499:

Benninger, Robert J ~ 1st Lt, Navigator, PA, (Shot)
Colwart, Louis J, Jr ~ Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, LA, (KIA)
Eike, George W ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, NY, (Shot)
Kahler, Ross L, T/Sgt, Radio Operator, PA, (KIA)
Pindroch, John ~ Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, OH, (Shot)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who survived from B17G #42-31499:

Daniels, Richard L ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, (POW)
Holbert, Roy K ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, (POW)
Musial, Joseph J ~ T/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, (POW)
Slenker, William O, Jr ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, (Evadee)
Snyder, Howard J ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, (Evadee)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bio & Crew Reports by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The name of Pindroch's B-17G was the Susan Ruth. On February 8, 1944, the Susan Ruth had just completed a bombing mission over Frankfurt Germany, when attacked by two German ME-109s.

The ME-109s damaged the aircraft so severely the surviving crew members were forced to bail out. Once on the ground Pindroch & other crew members were hidden by local Belgium resistance fighters.

While waiting for arrangements to escape back to England, Pindroch & seven other downed US airmen were betrayed by collaborators & captured by German forces.

After being interrogated Pindroch & the other airmen were taken to nearby woods & shot, murdered, by their guards.

Thanks to contributor Randy

*****************************************************
John Pindroch is listed under Finding Of Death in the 1946 Army and Army Air Forces Personnel Casualty List for Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

Name and Address of Next of Kin:

Mr. George Pindroch (Father)
3201 West 52nd Street
Cleveland, Ohio