| Related Pages:
Harold S. Bucklew |
S/Sgt John W. Disher
Photo courtesy of Bob Disher, John's son
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S/SGT JOHN W. DISHER
FLEW 41 MISSIONS- 25 W/ 92nd BG, 17 W/100th BG
CREW
|
1st Lt Harold S. Bucklew
|
P |
CPT |
6/2/45 CHEMNITZ |
-- |
|
2nd Lt George J. Roberts, Jr |
CP |
CPT |
22/2/45 DONAUESCHINGEN |
-- |
|
2nd Lt Carl H. Roesel
|
NAV |
CPT |
30/3/45 HAMBURG |
-- |
|
2nd Lt Robert T. Watt
|
BOM |
WIA |
2/10/44 KASSEL |
-- |
|
T/Sgt John H. Beckner
|
TTE |
CPT |
6/2/45 CHEMNITZ |
-- |
|
T/Sgt John T. Flowers, Jr |
ROG |
CPT |
21/1/45 MANNHEIM |
-- |
|
Sgt Paul Zakarevich
|
BTG |
CPT |
6/2/45 CHEMNITZ |
-- |
|
S/Sgt John W.
Disher |
LWG |
KIA |
18 /3/45 BERLIN |
with GWIN CREW
as Spot Jammer sn# 17034210 |
|
Sgt Eugene A. McCoy
|
RWG |
CPT |
6/2/45 CHEMNITZ |
-- |
|
Sgt Ray Martucci |
TG |
CPT |
6/2/45 CHEMNITZ |
-- |
418th Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined the 100th
Group on 22/8/44 "Flew SILVER DOLLAR
Watt had eyes injured by plexiglass fragments
when flak struck nose of ship. Roesel believes he was returned to USA
because of this. Roesel transferred from this crew to lead crew
navigator. S/Sgt Disher was removed from crew to reduce to 9 men. He is
transferred to the 351st BS where he is put in a spare gunners pool.
Somewhere in October/November 1944 he is trained as a Spot Jammer.
************************************************************************************************************
John W. Disher: Ball Turret Gunner, WG and
Spot Jammer
Medals
Air Medal 7-6-43-for flying 5 missions (92nd
BG)
Oak Leaf Closter for AM 8-11-43, for flying 5
more missions (92nd Bomb Group)
Oak Leaf Cluster for AM 8-19-43 for flying 5
more missions (92nd Bomb Group
Oak Leaf Cluster for AM 9-8-43, for flying 5
more missions (92nd Bomb Group)
Oak Leaf Cluster for AM 1-23-44
Oak Leaf Cluster for AM 1/25/45 for flying 6
missions with 100th BG
Oak Leaf Cluster for AM 3/12/45 for flying 6
missions with 100th BG
Purple Heart 9-30-43- for June 22, 1943 Huls,
Germany or September 6, 1943 Ditching in Channel with Lt Prasse Crew.
Credit for 2 fighters
Oak Leaf Cluster for Purple Heart
2-27-44-Schweinfurt Oct 14, 1943 flying with Lt Richard Lyng Crew
Posthumous Award of Purple Heart 7-13-45 for
being KIA on March 18, 1945
Distinguished Flying Cross 9-30-43,
Oak Leaf Cluster for DFC 2-27-44 completion of
25 missions with 92nd Bomb Group
Good Conduct Medal
ETO ribbon with 2 battle Stars. Air Offensive
Europe, Ardennes,
Distinguished Unit Citation"
DUC for Jan 11, 1944 with 92nd BG
DUS for Mar 4-8, 1944 with 100th BG- bestowed
on Group Jan 1945.
Goldfish Club for ditching in Channel on Sept
6, 1943.
S/Sgt John Disher Missions with the 92nd Bomb
Group and 100th Bomb Group:
Missions with 92nd Bomb Group:
|
01 |
29 May 1943 |
St Nazaire |
-- |
|
02 |
11 June 1943 |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany |
-- |
|
-- |
15 June 1943 |
-- |
Mission Recalled, but S/Sgt Disher is
wounded) |
|
03 |
22 June 1943 |
Huls, Germany |
-- |
|
04 |
25 June 1943 |
Oldenburg |
-- |
|
05 |
26 June 1943 |
Paris, France |
-- |
|
06 |
28 June 1943 |
St Nazaire |
-- |
|
07 |
17 July 1943 |
Hannover, Germany |
-- |
|
08 |
24 July 1943 |
Heroya, Norway |
-- |
|
09 |
26 July 1943 |
Hannover, Germany |
-- |
|
10 |
28 July 1943 |
Kassel, Germany |
-- |
|
11 |
29 July 1943 |
Kiel, Germany |
S/Sgt Disher credited with one E/A
shot down) |
|
12 |
15 Aug 1943 |
Vlissingen (Flushing) |
-- |
|
13 |
16 Aug 1943 |
Le Bourget, France |
-- |
|
14 |
19 Aug 1943 |
Vlissingen, (Flushing) |
-- |
|
15 |
31 Aug 1943 |
Amiens, France |
-- |
|
16 |
03 Sep 1943 |
St Andre De L'Eur, France |
-- |
|
17 |
06 Sep 1943 |
Strasbourg |
flying with Lt Frederick Prasse,
Credited with two E/A shot down. Crew ditched in the Channel) |
|
18 |
10 Oct 1943 |
Coesfeld, Germany |
-- |
|
19 |
14 Oct 1943 |
Schweinfurt, Germany |
Flying with Lt Richard Lyng, Credited
with two E/A Shot Down, Wounded in foot by 20mm |
|
20 |
07 Jan 1944 |
Ludwigshaven, Germany |
-- |
|
21 |
29 Jan 1944 |
Frankfurt, Germany |
-- |
|
22 |
03 Feb 1944 |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany |
-- |
|
23 |
06 Feb 1944 |
Nancy/Essey, France |
-- |
|
24 |
24 Feb 1944 |
Schweinfurt, Germany |
-- |
|
25 |
25 Feb 1944 |
Stuttgart, Germany |
-- |
Completes First tour and is rotated back to
States. 20 day leave and then sent to Gunnery School trainiing in
Florida. Gets board and requests combat duty. Assigned to Lt Bucklew
Crew as Waist Gunner. Once overseas, he is taken off crew to reduce to 9
men. He is put in Spare gunners pool and eventually transferred to 351st
Bomb Squadron. Between Aug 22nd and December 26, 1944 he trains for Spot
Jammer. Flew 17 missions with the 100th BG.
Missions with the 100th Bomb Group:
|
26 |
27 Dec 1944 |
Fulda, Ger |
-- |
|
27 |
28 Dec 1944 |
Koblenz, Ger |
-- |
|
28 |
30 Dec 1944 |
Kassel, Ger |
-- |
|
29 |
01 Jan 1945 |
Cologne, Ger |
-- |
|
30 |
10 Jan 1945 |
Cologne, Ger |
-- |
|
31 |
17 Jan 1945 |
Hamburg, Ger |
-- |
|
32 |
21 Jan 1945 |
Mannheim, Ger |
-- |
|
33 |
06 Feb 1945 |
Chemnitz, Ger |
-- |
|
34 |
09 Feb 1945 |
Weimar, Ger |
-- |
|
35 |
14 Feb 1945 |
Chemnitz, Ger |
-- |
|
36 |
17 Feb 1945 |
Frankfurt, Ger |
-- |
|
37 |
19 Feb 1945 |
Osnabruck, Ger |
-- |
|
38 |
28 Feb 1945 |
Kassel, Ger |
-- |
|
39 |
02 Mar 1945 |
Ruhland, Ger |
-- |
|
40 |
04 Mar 1945 |
Ulm, Ger |
-- |
|
41 |
08 Mar 1945 |
Frankfurt, Ger |
-- |
|
42 |
18 Mar 1945 |
Berlin |
Shot Down by ME262 |
CREW MARCH 18, 1945
|
2nd Lt Edward P.
Gwin |
P |
KIA |
18/3/45 |
BERLIN |
|
2nd Lt Donald H. Reichel
|
CP |
POW |
18/3/45 |
BERLIN |
|
2nd Lt Robert B. Landino
|
NAV |
POW |
18/3/45 |
BERLIN |
|
2nd Lt Stewart P. Laidlaw
|
BOM |
-- |
-- |
MADE GROUP BOMBARDIER |
|
T/Sgt William C.
Danielson, Jr. |
ROG |
KIA |
18/3/45 |
BERLIN |
|
T/Sgt Herbert Hamann
|
TTE |
POW |
18/3/45 |
BERLIN |
|
Sgt Joseph M. Griego
|
TG |
POW |
18/3/45 |
BERLIN |
|
Cpl Earl S. Hamilton
|
BTG |
GROUNDED |
-- |
-- |
|
Cpl Charles T. Maedel
|
WG |
NOC |
-- |
taken off crew to reduce to 9 men) |
|
Cpl Norman D. Heilbuth
|
WG |
POW |
18/3/45 |
BERLIN |
351st Sqdn. Crew, as above, Joined 100th Group
on 5/10/44.
Letter from Joe Griego in 1983 states that Lt.
Laidlaw was made Group Bombardier after about 10 missions with crew. ".
On 18/3/45 Sgt Raymond Y. Uhler(BTG) was flying in place of Hamilton and
Sgt John W. Disher was flying as Spot Jammer and both were KIA. Sgt.
David Ackerman was aboard as NG and became a POW. R. K. Uhler was from
the crew of J. L. Wofford. S/Sgt John Disher was on his second tour of
duty. S/Sgt N. D. Heilburth was aboard as a waist gunner and became a
POW.
MACR #13144 A//C#43 38861 "SWEET NANCY II" was
attacked by an ME 262 at 1114 hours, 5247;N & 1145E. Our A/C had two
engines on fire and dived away from the formation. . A/C then nosed up
with tail falling off and fell down spinning. One chute was seen. "
Joe Griego was in the severed section of the
tail and had a difficult time getting out so that he could open his
chute. See S. O. C. p. 86/87 &103/105
The following are excerpts from statements of
Lt. Robert B. Landino taken from MACR No# 13144
As to Lt. Gwin, ". . . from enlisted men who
were working near where we were shot down; they claim one man bailed out
below the clouds, then they heard shooting, his chute collapsed and he
fell to the ground presumably dead. "
As to Sgt Disher, " . . . S/Sgt Heilbuth saw
him just before he bailed out. He was crawling out of the radio room
with blood all over himself, but he (Heilbuth) did not have time to help
him as the aircraft was below the clouds which were not more than 500
feet, so he had to jump. Disher probably never got to the door to jump
as the plane must have hit only a few seconds later. "
As to Sgt. Uhler, ". . . I believe he was
trapped in the ball turret by enemy shell fire. His body was seen on the
ground alongside of the plane.
As to T/Sgt Danielson, ". . . He must have
been killed by the fire from the two ME - 262s that shot us down. They
sprayed the back part of our plane as it was shot in half just in front
of the tail wheel.
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