John Gums

World War II
-
MIA
Fallen

County:
Stutsman

Date of Loss:

Recovered:
Remains not recovered

Branch of Service:
Army

Rank:
Staff Sergeant

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent:
B-24J #44-40540

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:
424th Bomber Squadron

Regiment / Group / Brigade:
307th Bomber Group, Heavy

Listed on/in the:
Register of North Dakota Veterans World War II 1941-1945 and Korean Conflict 1950-1953, published 1968

Major Battle/Theatre:
Asiatic Pacific Theater

Medals and Honors:

Circumstances:

B-24J #44-40540 took off, with a crew of 10, from Morotai, North Maluku Province, Indonesia on a bombing mission over Balikpapan island in Borneo. They were seen going into a heavy weather front that was causing heavy icing on the other B-24's on this mission. After coming out of the front they were seen going down toward the sea. It is believed that the icing may have caused them to crash.

Biography:

born Streeter, NDak 6 Sep 22; resident Stutsman County, NDak; entered AUS Ft Lewis, Wash 28 Jun 43; served Asiatic Pacific Theater; KIA 18 Oct 44 East Indies; remains not recovered; memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Philipine Islands