John D. McCombs was born in 1918 in Illinois. He was the son of David E McCombs and Flora Ida Lamont McCombs. He was married to Doris M. Snitchler Cook.
John resided in Illinois prior to the war. He served in the 861st Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Bombardier on the B-17G #43-38359 during World War II. On November 5, 1944, he was Killed in Action when his B-17 was hit by flak and burst into flames over their target, an oil refinery in Ludwigshafen, Germany. Out of 11, five crew members were able to parachute out, but they were taken as prisoners, and the rest were killed in the crash.
1Lt McCombs is now buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint-Avold, France.
Airmen who perished on B-17G #43-38359:
Fetters, Donald J ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, CA
Guzik, John ~ Capt, Observer, OH
Johnson, Earl H ~ Capt, Pilot, KS
Lewis, John L, Jr ~ T/Sgt, Photographer, PA
Marsh, Warren B ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, CO
McCombs, John D ~ 1st Lt, Bombardier, IL
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.americanairmuseum.com, www.abmc.gov