This memorial is part of a group burial of unidentified remains of the entire crew!
He was one of the seven children of Harry and Emily (Boessert) Lubben. As a youngster, he spent his childhood years on his parents' farm in Veedum, near Pittsville and worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps. After graduating from Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids in 1935, he worked in the lab in the Biron Division of Consolidated Papers (now Stora Enso). On November 1, 1940, John joined the United States Army Air Corps, earning the Purple Heart on December 7, 1941, when he got strafed by a Japanese machine gunner during Japan's attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he was a mechanic. During 1942-43, John served in World War II's Pacific Theater, eventually returning stateside to train as a pilot. By early 1944, he had won his commission and was stationed at Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma. By September 1944, John was flying missions from a base in France and was last seen December 12, 1944, when his plane crashed near the German-Belgium border during a mission just days prior to the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He was officially declared dead by the United States government in December 1945. He was buried by German soldiers, alongside two other American soldiers, under a tree marked "Here Lies Three American Soldiers" until 1976. At that time a German team, hired by the government to find old war munitions, found the remains, and they were reburied as unidentified American soldiers in Belgium and his name is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Luxembourg American Cemetery in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. His remains were identified and returned to the United States in 2007. John was buried alongside his parents on July 31, 2007 at Forest Hill Cemetery in Wisconsin. Some of his remains were also buried here at Arlington National Cemetery in April 2008. Survivors include one sister, Margaret Hafermann of Wisconsin Rapids; one brother, H. Paul (Marcy) Lubben of Wisconsin Rapids; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Maureen and Janet; and two brothers, William and Wendell. (Original biography written by Sue)
He was one of the seven children of Harry and Emily (Boessert) Lubben. As a youngster, he spent his childhood years on his parents' farm in Veedum, near Pittsville and worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps. After graduating from Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids in 1935, he worked in the lab in the Biron Division of Consolidated Papers (now Stora Enso). On November 1, 1940, John joined the United States Army Air Corps, earning the Purple Heart on December 7, 1941, when he got strafed by a Japanese machine gunner during Japan's attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he was a mechanic. During 1942-43, John served in World War II's Pacific Theater, eventually returning stateside to train as a pilot. By early 1944, he had won his commission and was stationed at Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma. By September 1944, John was flying missions from a base in France and was last seen December 12, 1944, when his plane crashed near the German-Belgium border during a mission just days prior to the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He was officially declared dead by the United States government in December 1945. He was buried by German soldiers, alongside two other American soldiers, under a tree marked "Here Lies Three American Soldiers" until 1976. At that time a German team, hired by the government to find old war munitions, found the remains, and they were reburied as unidentified American soldiers in Belgium and his name is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Luxembourg American Cemetery in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. His remains were identified and returned to the United States in 2007. John was buried alongside his parents on July 31, 2007 at Forest Hill Cemetery in Wisconsin. Some of his remains were also buried here at Arlington National Cemetery in April 2008. Survivors include one sister, Margaret Hafermann of Wisconsin Rapids; one brother, H. Paul (Marcy) Lubben of Wisconsin Rapids; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Maureen and Janet; and two brothers, William and Wendell. (Original biography written by Sue)
This memorial is part of a group burial of unidentified remains of the entire crew!
He was one of the seven children of Harry and Emily (Boessert) Lubben. As a youngster, he spent his childhood years on his parents' farm in Veedum, near Pittsville and worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps. After graduating from Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids in 1935, he worked in the lab in the Biron Division of Consolidated Papers (now Stora Enso). On November 1, 1940, John joined the United States Army Air Corps, earning the Purple Heart on December 7, 1941, when he got strafed by a Japanese machine gunner during Japan's attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he was a mechanic. During 1942-43, John served in World War II's Pacific Theater, eventually returning stateside to train as a pilot. By early 1944, he had won his commission and was stationed at Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma. By September 1944, John was flying missions from a base in France and was last seen December 12, 1944, when his plane crashed near the German-Belgium border during a mission just days prior to the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He was officially declared dead by the United States government in December 1945. He was buried by German soldiers, alongside two other American soldiers, under a tree marked "Here Lies Three American Soldiers" until 1976. At that time a German team, hired by the government to find old war munitions, found the remains, and they were reburied as unidentified American soldiers in Belgium and his name is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Luxembourg American Cemetery in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. His remains were identified and returned to the United States in 2007. John was buried alongside his parents on July 31, 2007 at Forest Hill Cemetery in Wisconsin. Some of his remains were also buried here at Arlington National Cemetery in April 2008. Survivors include one sister, Margaret Hafermann of Wisconsin Rapids; one brother, H. Paul (Marcy) Lubben of Wisconsin Rapids; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Maureen and Janet; and two brothers, William and Wendell. (Original biography written by Sue)
He was one of the seven children of Harry and Emily (Boessert) Lubben. As a youngster, he spent his childhood years on his parents' farm in Veedum, near Pittsville and worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps. After graduating from Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids in 1935, he worked in the lab in the Biron Division of Consolidated Papers (now Stora Enso). On November 1, 1940, John joined the United States Army Air Corps, earning the Purple Heart on December 7, 1941, when he got strafed by a Japanese machine gunner during Japan's attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he was a mechanic. During 1942-43, John served in World War II's Pacific Theater, eventually returning stateside to train as a pilot. By early 1944, he had won his commission and was stationed at Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma. By September 1944, John was flying missions from a base in France and was last seen December 12, 1944, when his plane crashed near the German-Belgium border during a mission just days prior to the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He was officially declared dead by the United States government in December 1945. He was buried by German soldiers, alongside two other American soldiers, under a tree marked "Here Lies Three American Soldiers" until 1976. At that time a German team, hired by the government to find old war munitions, found the remains, and they were reburied as unidentified American soldiers in Belgium and his name is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Luxembourg American Cemetery in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. His remains were identified and returned to the United States in 2007. John was buried alongside his parents on July 31, 2007 at Forest Hill Cemetery in Wisconsin. Some of his remains were also buried here at Arlington National Cemetery in April 2008. Survivors include one sister, Margaret Hafermann of Wisconsin Rapids; one brother, H. Paul (Marcy) Lubben of Wisconsin Rapids; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Maureen and Janet; and two brothers, William and Wendell. (Original biography written by Sue)
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