Johnnie Laughlin
 From Johnnie's "Soldier's Souvenir Handybook", he writes "June 12th arrived in Cerignola, assigned to 15th Air Force. Living in tents in middle of grape and olive orchards". According to his little book the first mission he flew was on June 25th to Avignon, France. Also he listed his crew members: 1st Lt. Robert B. Weller - P 2nd Lt. Joseph W. Cross - CP 2nd Lt. Winston G. Emert - N F/O Louis Fravenholts - B S/Sgt Gordon B. Hitchcock - Eng/RWG S/Sgt Charles R. Mathis - ROM/LWG Sgt Richard R. Sedlacek - NG Sgt Evan J. Pryde - BG Sgt George W. Pennington - TG Sgt John M. Laughlin - TTG
Naritive provided by Glenn Strong
Based on the limited information in the diaries and MACR, I could piece together the following about Sgt. Johnnie Laughlin. Reported to 757th Bomb Squadron 459th BG on June 12, 1944 as member of the Weller crew. Probably few first mission within a week. (Group flew 24 missions from June 13-July 28) He and crew mate George Pennington assigned to fly with group Ops Officer Capt. Phil McLaughlin in a radar or Mickey Ship on July 28th to Bomb refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Also aboard was Herbert C. Hawkins flying as co-pilot and Adam Wiley as Bombardier. Both were near the end of their tours. McLaughlin's crew had all finished up and rotated since Phil had been promoted to Ops officer and he had not been flying regular missions. Squadron Navigation officer Capt Kenneth Kellow and Lt. Harold Kollenberg (He had been part of Ed Murphy's crew, but Murphy and others had been shot down in June and were now POW's.) Radar navigator William Van Horn (my dad's Navigator) was operating the Mickey radar and presumably the other two Navigators were there to observe. Gunners were either volunteers or spares available to complete the crew assignment for the days mission. Sgt Robert Jones was apparently one of the few original contingent EM remaining having been on Lt. leach's crew and may have been on his last or near last mission. It would seem every one in the crew that day was a seasoned veteran of many missions, even the newer guys like Laughlin and Pennington. At the target Aircraft took a direct flak hit in the bomb-bay and went down in flames.
MACR 7313 lists Sherman as the Flt Engineer and Laughlin as Top Turret Gunner. As this was a Mickey ship, it would have no ball turret as that is where the Radar dome was installed. Usually the Engineer manned that Turret. It may be that Laughlin was Asst. Engineer qualified and was doing Flt. Engineer duties with Sherman for mission qualification as a Lead Crew Engineer. Enlisted crew had another qualification in addition to gunner. Usually Armorer, Flt. Engineer, Radio Operator, combat photographer.
MACR: 7313
Sgt. Johnnie M Laughlin was assigned to the 459th BG 757th Squadron.
Military Occupational Specialty (MOS): Top Turrent Gunner.
7/28/44 Shot down on mission to Ploesti A/C 41-28769 B-24 H KIA - MACR 7313
Please contact us with any biographical data, pictures or other information regarding the service and life of Johnnie Laughlin.
| 
