John J Reda

T/Sgt John J Reda;

S/Sgt John J Reda has recently been sent to Camp McCoy Seperation Center for discharge.  He has been an Armorer-Gunner with the 321s Bomb Group, Reda holds the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, The Amer. Defense Ribbon and the ETO Campaign with 2 Battle Stars. (*** Engineer/Gunner, Sgt John J Reda  (out 25 June, 1945)  = 321st Roster.... From the 21 Sept.1945   Dane Country History /Mirror /Mirror / "The Madison Mirror"  1925-1969

John Joseph Reda   Birth: Apr. 11, 1923   Death: Jan. 27, 1996

T SGT, US AIR FORCE

Burial: Santa Fe National Cemetery   Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, USA

Imported from: US Veteran's Affairs
Record added: Feb 26, 2000   Find A Grave Memorial# 1107917
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Texas Death Index, 1903-2000   Name: John Reda   Death Date: 27 Jan 1996
Death County: El Paso   Gender: Male
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Social Security Death Index   Name: John J. Reda Last Residence: 79912  El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States of America   Born: 11 Apr 1923   Died: 27 Jan 1996
State (Year) SSN issued: Wisconsin (Before 1951)
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321st Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Squad War-Diary;

Reda, John J., Sgt., engineer-gunner, bombardier

First mention - First mission 26 Dec 44

  A/C No.  43-27678 Tail # 40 “Lemmon Lu” P Cressman, Jack E., 1Lt CP Long, Emmett N., 2Lt N None B Vannah, Harold P., Jr., F/O E Reda, John J., Sgt R Ross, Harry K., S/Sgt G Dickey, Jack F., Jr., S/Sgt F None

No regular ship or crew.  Two pilots he flew with most were Lt Roland B. Jackson and Lt Paul L. Heaberlin

The closest he ever came to a regular ship and crew was with this crew for a couple of missions in Apr 45 – however, each mission one of the other crew members would be different.

  A/C No.  43-4097 Tail # 28 “Darlene” (previously “Tiny?”) P Jackson, Roland B., 1Lt CP Rooker, John C., 2Lt N None B Reda, John J., Sgt E Freeman, Harold W., S/Sgt R Taylor, James M., Sgt G Darnielle, George W., Sgt F None

Last mission 20 Apr 45:

  A/C No.  43-35967 Tail # 48 P Crisp, Glenn S., Jr., Capt CP Crandall, Lawrence A., 2Lt N Codd, Russell G., 2Lt B McCullough, John E., Jr., 1Lt E Reda, John J., Sgt R Cubbage, Robert (NMI), T/Sgt G Alberico, Camillo A., S/Sgt F None

Going Home:

25 Jun 45 - 446th BS War Diary:  1st Lieuts. Gahm, McCloud, Berge, Chandley, Weihe, French, Golden, Dunn, Williams, and 2nd Lieuts. Huntsley, Rooker, McNeal, Crandall, Sykes, and Flight Officer Johnson, as well as Ems Taylor, Jeczewski, Reda, Reinartsen, Peterson, Chase, Sanders, Krider, Harrison, and Stewart have been transferred to the 515th Air Service Group.

I can account for 40 missions, including spares, early returns, etc

Dec 44                2

Jan                     4

Feb                     9

Mar                   14

Apr                   11

            Total     40

Ships he flew on:

43-3989 Tail # 37 “Miss Margie”

43-4020 Tail # 26 “Bourbon Baby”

43-4074 Tail # 27 (picture of seated lady - no name/lettering)

43-4077 Tail # 43 “Stormy Weather” (Previously 447th ship “Ann’s Little Boy Val”)

43-4097 Tail # 28 “Darlene” (previously “Tiny?”)

43-27477 Tail # 32 “Boots”

43-27480 Tail # 44

43-27497 Tail # 29

43-27503 Tail # 46 “My Georgia Peach”

43-27678 Tail # 40 “Lemmon Lu”

43-27699 Tail # 33 “Jessie” (later name dropped from nose art)

43-27745 Tail # 47

43-27747 Tail # 42 “Spider’s Frolic Pad” (first # 42)

43-35967 Tail # 48

43-36224 Tail # 34 probably ”Hauling Ass II”

321st Bomb Group History Team; (446thBS) John T Fitzgerald, (446thBS) Patti Johnson and (447thBS) Historian Barbara Ennis Connolly.