Military career and fate of Capt. Jack W. HOWARD, O-725730 of Llano, Texas

[Kurtl12]

The former Capt. Jack W. Howard of Llano, Texas was the only child of Mrs and Mr. Lee R. Howard.

He received his wings at Luke Field, Phoenix, Arizona and was sent to England in September of 1942 - later on to Africa and eventually to Egypt.

In 1943 he seems to be an Intelligence Officer and Flight Leader of his Fighter / Reconnaissance Squadron somewhere in Africa and takes part in the strategic battle of Kasserine Pass in Tunesia.

On July 9th, 1943 he receives the Air Medal and in August same year the Oak Leaf Cluster.

On July 16th, 1944 the SAME (?) Capt. Jack W. Howard appears as a pilot of B-17G-45-DL 44-6187 that crashed after being hit by AAA/fighters southwest of Vienna, Austria. He bailed out and survived.

I've tried to find out more via the internet and found some data in several old newspapers - all obviously from the same Capt. Jack W. Howard of Llano, Texas. Since I have my doubts that a former fighter / reconnaissance pilot later on gets a B-17 Captain I post that supject here...

Any details on Capt. Jack W. Howard are highly appreciated. Thanks for your comments.

Regards, K.

[RSwank]

I believe this is him:
Obit:https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries...ry?id=16271315

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/.../jack-w-howard

[Leendert]

Air Medal Decoration/Oak Leaf Cluster with date 28 Feb 1943 awarded by HQ 12th AF and on 28 April 1943 by HQ, NW African AF to same Jack W. Howard (O-725730) as in MACR 6825 for 44-6187.

On award card Llano, Texas indeed.

Additional Oak Leaf Clusters from HQ 15 AF with dates 25 May 1944 and 18 June 1944.

Regards, Leendert

[RSwank]

Some links on the bottom of this page:

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/ar...-walker-howard

I believe he retired from the Air Force in January, 1966 as Lt Col. He spent some time (1950s and 1960s??) in the Air National Guard not sure where he served. He was studying engineering at the University of Texas before he went into the service.


On the last page of this link it shows a transfer of Howard from the 99th BG to the 97th BG dated 14 February, 1944.

https://www.99bombgroup.org/citations.php

[Leendert]

Perhaps same Jack W. Howard had a ground fire accident in/with a F-86A (49-1134) at Nellis AFB, NV on 2 Sep 1950. Unit: 3525 AGS/3595 TS.

Haven't read the MACR, but he was held POW at Stalag Luft 1 (Barth-Vogelsang).

His name in an ANG register of 1957 with "PA" for Pennsylvania. Not sure if register means home state at that moment or state assignment.

Regards,
Leendert

[Kurtl12]

Gentlemen, thank you very much for your help and interest!
So Mr. Jack Walker Howard was quiet ambitious during his military service. Though is it thinkable to transfer from a fighter / recce unit to a heavy bomber unit during the war?

This article of July 19th, 1943 of Fort Worth Star-Telegram (newspaper) has a picture of a certain Lt. Jack Howard of Llano, Texas:
https://www.newspapers.com/image/636...Howard&match=1
Age, origin, etc. fits pretty well to our Jack Howard...

So, if we count on the newspapers he has been part of a fighter / recce unit that has been active in Egypt and Tunisia around September 1942 to February 1944 at latest. Roughly said the 57., 79. and maybe the 324. Fighter Group did so. I am still checking on the net....

[RSwank]

This photo shows Jack W Howard receiving an Air Medal from General P L Williams.


https://www.fold3.com/image/47304268...ca,w,ii,photos

Here is the wikipedia entry on Williams.

Note he became commander of the XII Air Support Command in January, 1943.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_L._Williams_(general)

Perhaps we need to look to see if there was some sort of recon unit in that command,
maybe the 68th Observation Group (later called the 68th Reconnaissance Group)?

A little on the 68th: https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/6...ance_Group.cfm

[RSwank]

Found another clue in this story which mentions Howard and his squadron commander, John Robert Dyas:

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1186...star-telegram/

Major John Robert Dyas was squadron commander of this squadron, the 154th Observation, Reconnaissance,
and Weather-Reconnaissance at the time of the article:

https://15thaf.org/154th_Weather_Sqd...he%20154th.pdf


Found another article which is about the other pilot (Kingsbury) mentioned in the first story above:

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1186...reporter-news/

Of interest in this second story is the comment that Kingsbury flew both pursuit planes and bombers while overseas.

[Kurtl12]

great outcome! we are getting closer. Thank's a lot for your efforts!

Here I read that (at this time) 154. Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) was stationed at Wattisham, England until September 1942 ant then moved to St Leu, Algeria:
https://flightlineinsignia.com/produ...ce-squadron-2/

It is said that Frank Howard was sent to England in September 1942 and then either to North West Africa or Egypt...

I wonder what kind of pilot training he received?