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Personal info

Full name
MONASMITH, John Valoise
Date of birth
25 June 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
Concord Township, Elkhart County, Indiana
Hometown
Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan

Military service

Service number
T-223177
Rank
Flight Officer
Function
Pilot
Unit
325th Ferry Squadron,
31st Air Transport Group
Awards
unknown

Death

Status
Died non-Battle
Date of death
13 March 1945
Place of death
Northeast of Vitry-le-Francois, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Epinal
Plot Row Grave
A 9 54

Immediate family

Members
Vern J. Monasmith (father)
Gertrude A. (Roosa) Monasmith (mother)
Kedric L. Monasmith (brother)
Carrie Monasmith (sister)
Carol J. Monasmith (sister)
Charlene J. Monasmith (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-6461
Data
Type: C-53D
Destination: RAF Station Grove, England
Mission: Material Transport

More information

F/O John V. Monasmith attended college and was an office clerk before he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941. He was sent to England in January of 1942 and then transferred to the U.S. Army Air Force.

The right engine was on fire twelve minutes after takeoff. The crew bailed out but F/O Monasmith was killed when his parachute didn't open properly.

He was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery in Champigneul, France.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record, www.findagrave.com - Allen Monasmith, www.newspapers.com - Detroit Free Press - 18 February 1945, https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/person/john-v-monasmith, https://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=7880
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Andy