John Claude Turpen, Jr. was born in 1922 in Habersham County, Georgia. His parents were John C. and Effie Flanagan Turpen. He enlisted at Fort McPherson on January 6, 1943. His enlistment record states he had completed 4 years of high school, was single, but had dependents. After training as a radio operator and gunner, he was assigned to the Boyce crew, part of the 563rd Bomb Squadron of the 388th Bomb Group.

TSgt Turpen flew a total of 31 combat missions, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross. All missions were flown in various aircraft, although he had flown once before on the aircraft in which he was a crew member on his final flight. His first mission was flown April 26, 1944 and his last on July 29, 1944.

The Boyce crew was scheduled for participation in a raid on German war industries on July 29, 1944. When arriving at the target, the air crews found the target obscured by clouds but bombed anyway. Reports of secondary explosions and black smoke indicated the drop was successful.

As the bombers turned off target and began the assembly for the return, they were attacked by approximately 50 enemy fighters. Three BF-109 Messerschmidts attacked Boyce's aircraft from the rear, setting fire to both inboard engines. The aircraft went in a steep dive, and disappeared into cloud cover at 14,000 feet. Two of the crew managed to bail out and survive their parachute descent, only to be captured by German soldiers. German reports indicate 7 bodies were recovered from the wreckage. The aircraft crashed near Bottendorf, 10 miles southeast of Querfurt, Germany.

TSgt John Claude Turpen is buried in Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium. He also has a cenotaph located in Level Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Cornelia, Habersham County, Georgia. 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, airforce.togetherweserved.com