John N. Barnett was born on December 7, 1919, in North Dakota. He was the son of Frank J. Barnett and Olive Leona Lasher Barnett.
John served in the Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, as a First Lieutenant. He was Killed in Action on January 5, 1944, aboard the P-38 #42-67045, due to mechanical engine failure. He first lost power in his right engine and then later the left. The last sighting placed him near Cuxhaven, Germany, perhaps over the mouth of the Elbe River.
Major Mark Shipman reported: "On the mission of January 5, 1944, in support of heavy bombers to Kiel, Germany, 25 plus single engine enemy aircraft were engaged about twenty miles east of Meldorf. During the engagement Lt. Barnett lost his right engine apparently due to mechanical failure rather than enemy action. He said he could only get 15 inches on his right engine. This indicating a possible turbo failure. He also said his compass was out. He called for help saying he was behind and I said I would come back with four ships. We found him at 25,000 feet. Escort was normal from a point about 25 miles east of Cuxhaven on a course of 270 degrees. Upon reaching the coast or about 5 miles from there he called again stating he had lost his good engine and from then on our here-to-fore good R/T failed completely. Two attempts were made to reestablish (sic.) it and at the same time we lost sight of him. With our four ships , Lt. Steiner and I had been weaving over the top of him. But after he called saying his good engine had gone over the hill, we never saw him again. At the time when he was last sighted there were no E/A in the vicinity either at his altitude of 25,000 or below that altitude as far as I could see. Judging from the way we lost sight of him so fast and from the way the R/T broke down I should say that he bailed out, but no chute was observed to substantiate this observation. When last sighted, he was approximately five miles inland in the vicinity of Cuxhaven. The weather at the time was CAVY with the upper winds being from the north while those on the ground were blowing out of the west with about 25 miles per hour velocity. If he did bail out the wind would have carried him inland rather than out to sea. Lt Barnett's ship was not smoking and seemed to be under control when last sighted."
1Lt Barnett is now buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium. He also has a cenotaph located in Granville Cemetery, North Dakota.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov