John enlisted on Dec. 20, 1939 in the Regular Army. His serial number was 06150591. In 1940, his name appears as a Private in Portland, Cumberland Co., Maine. He was probably involved with the Coast Artillery units protecting the harbor there. His enlistment papers indicate that he had post-graduate schooling and his pre-war occupational field was 'electrical machinery and accessories manufacturing'. He was a widower. He later joined the 455th AAA Bn., Headquarters Battery, when the unit formed in Sept. 1942..The 455th AAA trained at Camp Stewart and Ft. Benning, Ga., then went overseas to Norfolk, England in Sept. 1943. John's Headquarters Battery was located at a B-24 bomber repair airbase at Watton, Norfolk, England..His rank was TSgt. In July 1944, the unit went to France for 'Operation Cobra' as part of Patton's 3rd Army, Walker's XX Corps. They later went into Germany and Austria and returned home in October 1945. The unit shotdown/damaged over 130 German aircraft and became the second highest-scoring antiaircraft unit in Patton's 3rd Army.
John was awarded a Good Conduct medal on Oct. 15, 1944. He was shown as a Tech. Sgt. at that time.
John enlisted on Dec. 20, 1939 in the Regular Army. His serial number was 06150591. In 1940, his name appears as a Private in Portland, Cumberland Co., Maine. He was probably involved with the Coast Artillery units protecting the harbor there. His enlistment papers indicate that he had post-graduate schooling and his pre-war occupational field was 'electrical machinery and accessories manufacturing'. He was a widower. He later joined the 455th AAA Bn., Headquarters Battery, when the unit formed in Sept. 1942..The 455th AAA trained at Camp Stewart and Ft. Benning, Ga., then went overseas to Norfolk, England in Sept. 1943. John's Headquarters Battery was located at a B-24 bomber repair airbase at Watton, Norfolk, England..His rank was TSgt. In July 1944, the unit went to France for 'Operation Cobra' as part of Patton's 3rd Army, Walker's XX Corps. They later went into Germany and Austria and returned home in October 1945. The unit shotdown/damaged over 130 German aircraft and became the second highest-scoring antiaircraft unit in Patton's 3rd Army.
John was awarded a Good Conduct medal on Oct. 15, 1944. He was shown as a Tech. Sgt. at that time.
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