John Alfred Wescott was born on March 5, 1923, in Fairfax, Virginia. He was the son of Milton Roberts Westcott and Dorothy Cole Westcott.

John enlisted in Washington, DC, on September 20, 1941. He served in the 423rd Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Technical Sergeant and Radio Operator on the B-17F #41-24491 'Man O War' during World War II.

On November 9, 1942, at 10h00, his crew took off from Station 111 airfield in Thurleigh, England, to attack the submarine base in St. Nazaire, France. Unfortunately, at around 02:40 pm, their plane was shot down by flak and crashed 1 km southeast of St-Andre-des-Eaux. This incident resulted in six casualties, three prisoners of war, and only one who evaded German capture. TSgt Wescott was one of those who were killed. He is now buried in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Missouri, in a common grave with TSgt Beers and Sgt Wright.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net