John Harlan Chilton was born on July 8, 1922, in Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma. He was the son of John Seymour Chilton and Bertha Ann White Chilton. He enlisted in the service on September 15, 1942. He served in the 703rd Bomb Squadron, 445th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Captain and Pilot of B-24J #42-51541 during World War II.

On September 27, 1944, B-24J #42-51541, assigned to the 445th Bomb Group of the U.S. Army Air Forces, was lost during a bombing mission over Germany. Serving as the lead aircraft of the formation, the bomber made a radar navigation error that disrupted the bomber stream and caused the group to drift off course. This exposed the formation to intense German anti-aircraft fire and fighter interception, contributing to heavy losses among the attacking force. Amid the confusion and defensive fire, B-24J 42-51541 was attacked by German fighters and shot down, crashing in central Germany in the Kassel–Göttingen region. Several members of the crew were killed during the shoot-down or in the crash, while others parachuted safely but were captured by German forces and taken prisoner. The aircraft failed to return from the mission and was officially declared lost.

Cpt Chilton was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-Avold, Département de la Moselle, Lorraine, France.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.445bg.org, www.americanairmuseum.com