1st Lt John (NMI) Barnett
Born on 07 December 1919
From Granville, ND
01 February 1943 - Joined the 343rd Fighter Squadron
December 1943 - Awarded the Air Medal
MACR No. 01743
05 January 1944 - Killed in action (aged 25) flying P-38H "Lightning" Serial Number 42-67045
Major Mark Shipman reported: "On the mission of January 5, 1944, in support of heavy bombers to Kiel, Germany, 25 plus single engine enemy aircraft were engaged about twenty miles east of Meldorf. During the engagement Lt. Barnett lost his right engine apparently due to mechanical failure rather than enemy action. He said he could only get 15 inches on his right engine. This indicating a possible turbo failure. He also said his compass was out. He called for help saying he was behind and I said I would come back with four ships. We found him at 25,000 feet. Escort was normal from a point about 25 miles east of Cuxhaven on a course of 270 degrees. Upon reaching the coast or about 5 miles from there he called again stating he had lost his good engine and from then on our here-to-fore good R/T failed completely. Two attempts were made to reestablish (sic.) it and at the same time we lost sight of him. With our four ships , Lt. Steiner and I had been weaving over the top of him. But after he called saying his good engine had gone over the hill, we never saw him again. At the time when he was last sighted there were no E/A in the vicinity either at his altitude of 25,000 or below that altitude as far as I could see. Judging from the way we lost sight of him so fast and from the way the R/T broke down I should say that he bailed out, but no chute was observed to substantiate this observation. When last sighted, he was approximately five miles inland in the vicinity of Cuxhaven. The weather at the time was CAVY with the upper winds being from the north while those on the ground were blowing out of the west with about 25 miles per hour velocity. If he did bail out the wind would have carried him inland rather than out to sea. Lt Barnett's ship was not smoking and seemed to be under control when last sighted."

The lose of Lt Barnett was due to mechanical failure, not action by enemy air or ground forces. He first lost power in his right engine and then later the left. Last sighting placed him near Cuxhaven, Germany, perhaps over the mouth of the Elbe River.

Photo courtesy of the 55th Fighter Group Association
fold3.com: Maj. Mark Shipman witness statement, MACR 1743