Bowers, John E. – ww2 Pacific

Rank and Name, Captain John E. Bowers.

Unit/Placed in, Communications Officer, 30^th Bomber Group (Base), United States Army Air Forces.

He was a Communications Officer in the 30th Bomb Group (Base). Probably wanted to go on an actual mission and went along as a passenger, on the last mission Captain John E. Bowers was a passenger in the Bombing Mission over Iwo Jima.

John is born approx. on 8 Dec. 1917 in Pennsylvania.

Father, Eddie Bowers.

Mother, Leolien (Struble) Bowers.

Sister(s), Betty L. Bowers.

Brother(s), Robert W. Bowers.

Spouse, Donna Bowers.

Daughter, Sue R. Bowers

John enlisted the service in Pennsylvania with service number # 33168220.

John‘s Crew-members from the plane that he crashsed in a B-24 were,

2^nd Lt. James R. Fagan Pilot

2^nd Lt. Johnnie W. Grant Co Pilot

2^nd Lt. David K. Shelledy Navigator

2^nd Lt. Walter J. Chilsen Bombardier

Corp. Calvin C. Bryant Engineer

Corp. Lauren M. Hetland Radio Operator

Corp. Aden D. Staley Asst. Engineer

Corp. William C. Little Asst. Radio Operator

Corp. Ernest L. Bradley Gunner

Corp. Frank A. Maressa Gunner

Captain John E. Bovers Passenger

John was KIA when over the target when they were hit by Anti-Aircraft fire, tried to land at Saipan but Crashed in the sea on 24 Jan. 1945, he is honored with an Air Medal, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

John was buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Because the recovering of his remains his name at Manila Cemetery is added with a rosette.

After recovery he was buried at Van Buren Cemetery, Van Buren, Grant County, Indiana, USA.

Thanks to,

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com and ww2-europe.com.

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano