Name:
John Bethea, Jr. Stratford
Rank:
Captain
Serial Number:
O-415358
Unit:
360th Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group
Date of Death:
1944-04-27
State:
Alabama
Cemetery:
Epinal American Cemetery, Dinozé, France
Plot:
A
Row:
45
Grave:
24
Decoration:
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Comments:
John Bethea Stratford, Jr. was born in 1919. He was the son of John Bethea Stratford and Elizabeth Howard deGraffenried Stratford.
Flying P-47 AC #4276135, he took off from Martlesham Heath on an escort mission to France. The flight was attacked by about 15 FW 190s at 20,000 feet while flying southeast about 15 miles northwest of Reims. Captain Stratford was shot down and crashed 1736hrs, 1,100 yards north of Buzancy, south of Soissons, France.
Cpt Stratford is now buried in the Epinal American Cemetery, Dinozé, France.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, francecrashes39-45.net