John William Roney was born on February 28, 1923. He resided in Hamilton County, Tennessee prior to the war. John served as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator on B-24J #44-40783, 425th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-24J #44-40783 took off, with a crew of 10 and 1 passenger, from Liuchow Airfield, China on a combat mission targeting shipping in Takao Harbor near Takao, Formosa (Taiwan). During this mission they were shot down by Japanese A6M Zeros and crashed into the sea. The entire crew was lost. John was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash during the war. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph located in Hickman City Cemetery, Hickman, Fulton County, Kentucky, USA.

2Lt Roney was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov