John William Beckley was born on September 5, 1920, in Amsterdam, Jefferson County, Ohio. He was the son of James Floyd Beckley and Frona Pearl Hackney Beckley. He was married to Anna Mae "Ann" Hughes Beckley. He served in the 71st Troop Carrier Squadron, 434th Troop Carrier Group, as a Sergeant and Crew-Chief of C-47A Skytrain #43-15101 during World War II.

On June 6, 1944, during the early hours of the Allied invasion of Normandy, the Douglas C-47A Skytrain (#43-15101) participated in Mission #27 “Chicago,” towing a CG-4A Waco glider piloted by F/O Kyle toward Landing Zone W (LZ-W). The aircraft departed at 00:45 from Station 467, RAF Aldermaston, Berkshire, England, as part of the large airborne operation supporting the D-Day landings. At about 03:55, while approaching the landing area over Normandy, the aircraft was struck by German anti-aircraft fire (Flak) and crashed in the marshes of the Merderet River in France. The aircraft was piloted by 2nd Lt. Raymond C. Howard, with 2nd Lt. Eston C. Kuhn, Sgt. John W. Beckley and S/Sgt. Marvin C. Boetcher is serving as a crew member. Following the crash landing, Lt. Howard was reportedly killed by German soldiers a few minutes afterward, while the surviving crew members were captured. On the following day, June 7, 1944, 2nd Lt. Kuhn was killed when the convoy transporting prisoners was mistakenly strafed by an Allied P-47 fighter aircraft. Sgt. Beckley and S/Sgt. Boetcher survived the incident but were taken prisoner of war.

Sgt. Beckley was held at Stalag Luft 4, Gross-Tychow, Pomerania, Prussia. He died on November 30, 2006, and is now buried in the Holly Memorial Gardens, Pleasant Grove, Belmont County, Ohio, USA.

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