John A. Sainio Jr. was born on September 28, 1924, in Camden County, New Jersey. He was the son of John A. Sr. and Hilma Sainio. He enlisted in the service on November 5, 1942. He served in the 765th Bomb Squadron, 461st Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Corporal and Right Waist Gunner of B-24J #42-50953, nicknamed "Flying Finger," during World War II.

On December 17, 1944, the “Flying Finger” took off from Torretta, Italy, as part of Mission No. 151 to bomb the synthetic oil refinery at Odertal, Germany. The “Flying Finger,” piloted by 2Lt Phillip Crossman, was last seen around 11:45 a.m. near Muglitz, Moravia. It never returned. The aircraft went down south of Neutitschein (now Nový Jičín, Czech Republic) after encountering heavy flak and German fighters, with four crewmen killed and the rest wounded or taken prisoner.

Cpl Sainio was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Woodbury Memorial Park, West Deptford, Gloucester County, New Jersey, USA.

Source of information: 461st.org, www.americanairmuseum.com