John McAleenan entered the military service in North Carolina. John ttended Wake Forest and Brown College and was working as the President of Delivery Service as a chauffeur. He enlisted in New York City, New York on 14 October 1942.He served in the 561st Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and waist gunner of #42-39804 "Bad Penny" aircraft during World War II.

A member of the Evans crew, he was killed when their plane crashed on February 10, 1944. The aircraft was reported by his squadron leader to have feathered his #3 engine about a minute before bombs away, at the same time falling behind the formation and losing altitude. Several enemy fighters jumped the airplane and on the seventh pass it was shot down. It went into a dive and when last seen just before going into the clouds the left wing was coming off.

Three crew members survived and were taken prisoner, seven were killed. They were initially buried at the Russian POW cemetery of Vechta. John is now buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium. He was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, www.fieldsofhonor-database.com