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2Lt John Sherman Irvine Jr.

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2Lt John Sherman Irvine Jr. Veteran

Birth
Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky, USA
Death
4 Oct 1943 (aged 24)
At Sea
Burial
Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands Add to Map
Plot
Tablets of the Missing
Memorial ID
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Bombardier 2nd/Lt. John S. Irvine Jr. MIA/KIA
4 OCTOBER 1943
TARGET: NORTH SEA DIVERSION
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #00891
AIRCRAFT: #42-7474 "SATAN'S FLAME" "M-Bar" 3rd Mission

This mission was one of the most notable and successful, executed by the 392nd during its early operations. The mission was a planned feint by higher headquarters to de-concentrate the German defenses, primarily fighter forces, from the main bomber waves assigned targets over the continent with the 392nd's track up over the North Sea approaches. Thirty-two (32) aircraft were dispatched with (28) flying the entire route. Four aircraft returned early for mechanical and personnel reasons. For the first time in combat, the unit encountered enemy aircraft and heavy flak defenses. Of the (3) aircraft lost that day, all were due to fighter attacks with (15) others damaged by 20MM cannon. The unit suffered the first casualties in combat on this mission; a total of (31) crewmembers MIA with an additional (6) injured.

AIRCREW: SMITH * SQUADRON: 579th 392 Bomb Group
CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:
P l/LT Brian T. Smith KIA
CP 2/LT Donald L. Sederquist KIA
N 2/LT Hyman Wasserstein KIA
B 2/LT John S. Irvine Jr KIA
EnG T/S Walter F. Kuziora KIA
R/O T/S Edwin J. Gott KIA
NG S/S Herbert L. Tucker KIA
WG S/S Harry D. Weiner KIA
WG S/S James L. Shiffer KIA
WG S/S John J. Senk KIA

MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES:
Smith's ship was last seen losing altitude with one or more engines on fire. At around 9,000 feet, combat with enemy fighters was still in progress. Three to four parachutes were reported seen at 1018 hours. No other combat reports were available on this aircraft and aircrew.

INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: As in the case of the Morphew crew, none were available including any possible German reports.

BURIAL RECORDS: No reports of interment were available probably because no crew member, as in the case of the Morphew crew, was ever recovered on land or from the North Sea. U.S. National Cemetery records do reflect the following remembrances: At NETHERLANDS (Margraten), Netherlands on the WALL OF THE MISSING: Smith; Sederquist; Wasserstein; Irvine; Gott; Shiffer; and Senk. At CAMBRIDGE, England: Tucker; Kuziora and Weiner on the WALL OF THE MISSING. All Members were awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart, except Sgts. Gott and Shiffer in this record.
Bombardier 2nd/Lt. John S. Irvine Jr. MIA/KIA
4 OCTOBER 1943
TARGET: NORTH SEA DIVERSION
MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #00891
AIRCRAFT: #42-7474 "SATAN'S FLAME" "M-Bar" 3rd Mission

This mission was one of the most notable and successful, executed by the 392nd during its early operations. The mission was a planned feint by higher headquarters to de-concentrate the German defenses, primarily fighter forces, from the main bomber waves assigned targets over the continent with the 392nd's track up over the North Sea approaches. Thirty-two (32) aircraft were dispatched with (28) flying the entire route. Four aircraft returned early for mechanical and personnel reasons. For the first time in combat, the unit encountered enemy aircraft and heavy flak defenses. Of the (3) aircraft lost that day, all were due to fighter attacks with (15) others damaged by 20MM cannon. The unit suffered the first casualties in combat on this mission; a total of (31) crewmembers MIA with an additional (6) injured.

AIRCREW: SMITH * SQUADRON: 579th 392 Bomb Group
CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:
P l/LT Brian T. Smith KIA
CP 2/LT Donald L. Sederquist KIA
N 2/LT Hyman Wasserstein KIA
B 2/LT John S. Irvine Jr KIA
EnG T/S Walter F. Kuziora KIA
R/O T/S Edwin J. Gott KIA
NG S/S Herbert L. Tucker KIA
WG S/S Harry D. Weiner KIA
WG S/S James L. Shiffer KIA
WG S/S John J. Senk KIA

MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES:
Smith's ship was last seen losing altitude with one or more engines on fire. At around 9,000 feet, combat with enemy fighters was still in progress. Three to four parachutes were reported seen at 1018 hours. No other combat reports were available on this aircraft and aircrew.

INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: As in the case of the Morphew crew, none were available including any possible German reports.

BURIAL RECORDS: No reports of interment were available probably because no crew member, as in the case of the Morphew crew, was ever recovered on land or from the North Sea. U.S. National Cemetery records do reflect the following remembrances: At NETHERLANDS (Margraten), Netherlands on the WALL OF THE MISSING: Smith; Sederquist; Wasserstein; Irvine; Gott; Shiffer; and Senk. At CAMBRIDGE, England: Tucker; Kuziora and Weiner on the WALL OF THE MISSING. All Members were awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart, except Sgts. Gott and Shiffer in this record.

Gravesite Details

Entered the service from Tennessee.



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  • Maintained by: John Dowdy
  • Originally Created by: War Graves
  • Added: Aug 6, 2010
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56300102/john_sherman-irvine: accessed ), memorial page for 2Lt John Sherman Irvine Jr. (15 May 1919–4 Oct 1943), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56300102, citing Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands; Maintained by John Dowdy (contributor 47791572).