John Henry Canty was born on July 24, 1921, in Winsted, Connecticut. He was the son of William Thomas and Ida Marie Weaver Canty. He was employed as an inspector for the Hudson Wire Company in Winsted CT when he entered the Army Air Corps in Hartford CT on July 17, 1942. After training and receiving his gunner's wings, he was sent overseas, initially being based at RAF Boxted, England in June 1943.
John served in the 555th Bomb Squadron, 386th Bomber Group, Medium, as a Staff Sergeant and Machine Gunner of the B-26 #442-96087 YA*O during World War II.
On June 22, 1944, the 386th BG flew in two squadrons on a mission to bomb a German headquarters in Caen, France, one of which is his. His crew took off from Station 164 in Great Dunmow, England, and while over Caen, the plane was achieved by the flak (German DCA) with a direct hit. The projectile passes through the plane and causes an explosion in flight. The crews of other aircraft in the formation are witnesses of falling debris B26-B YA-O code and report when establishing the MACR loss record (Missing Air Crew Report) 6383.
On the ground, are discovered the remains of Lt. Col. Weiss, pilot and commander of the Squadron, the 1st Lt Axel P. Slustrop, co-pilot, 22, of 1st Lt. David Meserow bomber, 22, of 1st Lt George H . Hazlett, browser, 24. They are buried at the military cemetery in Arlington (Virginia).
Later are discovered the remains of T/Sgt Robert E. Perkins, gunner, and S/Sgt Thomas Mc Caslin rear gunner. They are buried in the cemetery US respectively St. Laurent-Sur-Mer and Colleville-Sur-Mer. The remains of a crew member and passenger are then found.
At the end of 2014, a British national, mandated to search for drivers who fell during the Second World War, discovered the pieces of a plane, pieces of equipment and dug up the bones of a crew member and a military dog tag. US investigations identify the last crew member (SSgt Canty) B26 B YA-O shot June 22, 1944, over Caen.
Through the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the remains of Staff Sgt. John H. Canty were accounted for in 2018. His name is permanently inscribed in the “Courts of the Missing” at the Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii. His name is also memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing, Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France. SSgt Canty is now buried in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA.
B-26 #B-26 #442-96087 aircrew:
Lt-Col Don L. Weiss - Pilot
1Lt Axel P. Slustrop - Co-Pilot
1Lt David Meserow - Bombardier
1Lt George H. Hazlett - Navigator
T/Sgt Robert E. Perkins - Machine Gunner
S/Sgt John H. Canty - Machine Gunner
S/Sgt Thomas McCaslin - Rear Gunner
Capt Orville Donald "Don" Thatcher - Passennger
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, francecrashes39-45.net, aviation-safety.net