MESSINGER, JACK M. Aug 10, 1944 age 22 KIA St. Lambert Field

JACK M. MESSINGER  b. Nov 11, 1922 Michigan d. Aug 10, 1944 Killed in Action

St. Lambert Field, France

1^st Lt O-755989 Army Air Corps 430^th Fighter Squad 474^th Fighter Group

 
Buried Normandy American Cemetery, France

 

Parents: Monroe & Isabelle (Macleod)

1940 Redford Glee Club

Sibling: Robert M.

 Father Monroe was born in Pennsylvania and mother in Canada. Monroe was an assistant manager at a Metal manufacturer.  Jack was on the 1937 Alpha Honor Roll at Redford. After he graduated he attended University of Michigan.

Jack enlisted on Armistice Day 1942, his birthday. With the 474^th Fighter Group he flew out of, Saint Lambert Field in Normandy. It was a temporary airfield established shortly after D-Day on July 22, 1944. It was only in use for 2 months in the summer of 1944. Currently there is no evidence of its existence.

 

 

Saint Lambert Airfield Quarters Summer 1944

Take off at 10:00 am St. Lambert field. Lt. Messinger was flying number three position in a four ship flight. Upon returning from the mission, in the approach to the runway Lt. Messinger came in too close behind the number two man. Wheels and flaps were fully down on his plane when it hit a prop wash from the preceding planeThe left wing went down and he evidently applied the throttles to correct the plane’s altitude. The plane did a complete roll to the left ladning extremely hard right side up. It threw the plane into a barrel roll. When the plane hit the ground flat the wings broke splitting the gas tanks. It was completely destroyed in the resulting fire- 12:45 pm.



Lt Messinger - Hells Bell

Lt. Messinger was awarded the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with 6 Oak Lead Clusters, and Purple Heart. He flew 40+ combat missions over enemy territory.