Olin Duane Johnson was born on August 6, 1925, in Lake Creek Township, Calhoun County, Iowa. He was the son of Olin Ward Johnson and Clara L. Sexton Johnson. He served in the 702nd Bomber Squadron, 445th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Sergeant and Waist Gunner of B-24 #42-50340 during World War II.

On September 27, 1944, B-24 Liberator #42-50340 was lost during the disastrous Kassel mission over Germany. The aircraft departed RAF Tibbenham as part of a formation assigned to bomb the Henschel armored vehicle works at Kassel. En route, navigation errors caused the 445th Bomb Group to drift away from the main bomber stream and lose the protection of its fighter escort. After bombing and turning for home, the isolated formation was intercepted by large numbers of German fighters, primarily Fw 190s and Bf 109s, over central Germany, especially in the Werra Valley area. The enemy launched repeated close-range attacks that shattered the bomber formation. B-24 #42-50340 was among the aircraft shot down in the fierce aerial battle and crashed in Germany.

Sgt Johnson was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Rosehill Cemetery, Rockwell City, Calhoun County, Iowa, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.rafb24.com, weremember.abmc.gov