The John C. Brown crew: 711th Squadron
Rattlesden, undated, with 42-37871 Uninvited
(As assigned 3/17/44 SO67)
| Capt John C. Brown |
| Lt Frederick S. RIcker |
| Lt Charles W. Montgomery |
| Lt Paul A. Overton |
| S/Sgt John K. Lauer |
| S/Sgt Ronald J. Yeager |
| S/Sgt Joseph S. Brzezinski |
| S/Sgt John J. Buys |
| S/Sgt Hermand D. Gordon |
| S/Sgt Darwin H. Selle |
Flights with John C. Brown listed as Pilot
These lists are NOT limited to officially credited Combat missions, and may include Aborts, returns and non-takeoff occurrences as well.”
| 447th Mission (Date) | Target | Plane Number | Notes |
| #39 (26-Mar-44) | Cherbourg, France area | 42-107060 | |
| #40 (27-Mar-44) | Merignac, Chartes, France | 42-37868 | |
| #41 (28-Mar-44) | Chartres, France | 42-31161 | |
| #42 (01-Apr-44) | Ludwigshafen, Germany | 42-31184 | |
| #43 (08-Apr-44) | Rheine, Germany | 42-31184 | |
| #44 (09-Apr-44) | Warnemunde, Germany | 42-37871 | |
| #46 (11-Apr-44) | Arnimswalde, Poland | 42-97497 | |
| #48 (18-Apr-44) | Oranienburg / Rathnow, Germany | 42-37873 | took Stenvig’s original slot |
| #49 (19-Apr-44) | Lippstadt / Werl, Germany | 42-97501 | |
| #52 (24-Apr-44) | Friedrichshafen, Germany | 42-97497 | |
| #53 (26-Apr-44) | Brunswick, Germany | 42-97497 | |
| #54 (27-Apr-44) | French coast | 42-97497 | |
| #56 (29-Apr-44) | Berlin, Germany | 42-97497 | Landed at Woodbury |
| #62 (11-May-44) | Malines, Belgium | 42-97803 | |
| #63 (12-May-44) | Zwickau, Germany | 42-97803 | |
| #67 (22-May-44) | Kiel, Germany | 42-97803 | ABORT Wounded men |
| #68 (23-May-44) | Troyes, France | 42-97803 | |
| #71 (27-May-44) | Karlsruhe, Germany | 42-97803 | |
| #74 (30-May-44) | St. Pol-Siracourt, France | 42-97803 | |
| #85 (07-Jun-44) | Nantes, France | 42-97803 | with Maj. McRay; Landed at Nuthampstead |
| #98 (24-Jun-44) | Blanc Pignon Ferme, France | 43-37541 | |
| #102 (06-Jul-44) | Berck, France | 42-97803 | |
| #122 (07-Aug-44) | Anizy le Chateau, France | 42-97803 | |
| #128 (15-Aug-44) | Handorf, Germany | 42-97803 |
John J. Buys; Ball Turret Gunner
John K. Lauer; Radio Operator
From John (Jack) Lauer, son of John K Lauer: My father was saved by chaff. It was his job to throw out the chaff. He had it in a box by his feet. Once, when he bent over to grab a handful to throw out, a piece of flak came in behind him. It ripped through his seat and took out his radio. Had he been at his normal seating position he would have been hit. He dug out that piece of flak. Here is a pic of him and the piece of flak.
Bomb pin collection of John K. Lauer, as donated to the Museum of the Mighty Eighth.
John K. Lauer B-17G Missions (According to his Bomb Pin Collection, pictured above)
| MISSION | TARGET | DATE | 447th No. | COMMENTS |
| 1 | No Ball, France | March 6, 1944 | 447th listed Berlin. | |
| 2 | Chartres, France | March 27, 1944 | 40 | |
| 3 | Chartres, France | March 28, 1944 | 41 | |
| 4 | Ludwigshafen, Germany | April 2, 1944 | 447th had no mission listed | |
| 5 | Rhine, Germany | April 8, 1944 | 43 | |
| 6 | Arnimswalde, Poland | April 11, 1944 | 46 | |
| 7 | Berlin, Germany | April 18, 1944 | 48 | 447th had Oranienburg Rathnow. |
| 8 | Dortmuth, Germany | April 19, 1944 | 49 | 44th had Lipstadt Werl. |
| 9 | Friedrichshafen, Germany | April 24, 1944 | 52 | |
| 10 | Brunswick, Germany | April 26, 1944 | 53 | |
| 11 | No Ball, France | April 27, 1944 | 54 | 44th had Noball no. 78 |
| 12 | Berlin, Germany | April 29, 1944 | 56 | |
| 13 | Brussels, Belgium | May 11, 1944 | 62 | 447th had Malines |
| 14 | Zwickau, Germany | May 12, 1944 | 63 | |
| 15 | Kiel, Germany | May 22, 1944 | 67 | |
| 16 | Troyes, France | May 23, 1944 | 68 | |
| 17 | Karlsruhe, Germany | May 27, 1944 | 71 | |
| 18 | No Ball, France | May 30, 1944 | 74 | 447th had St. Pol Siracourt |
| 19 | Paris, France | June 2, 1944 | 76 and 77 | 447th had Wimereux and Conches Airbase. |
| 20 | Tours and Nantes, France | June 7, 1944 | 85 | |
| 21 | No Ball, France | June 12, 1944 | 88 | 447th had Conches Airbase. |
| 22 | No Ball, France | June 24, 1944 | 97 and 98 | 44th had two missions – Blanc Pigon Ferme and Wesermunde. |
| 23 | Secret Target, France | June 25, 1944 | 99 | 447th list Area #1, Operation “ZEBRA”. OSS Operation to supply OSS agents and the French underground. |
| 24 | Pas-De-Calais, France | July 6, 1944 | 102 | 447th had Berck A/F (France) |
| 25 | Nogent, France | July 8, 1944 | 105 | 447th listed Dad’s plane (JG. Brown) lead the low group. |
| 26 | Ostend, Belgium | August 3, 1944 | ||
| 27 | Aisne, France | August 7, 1944 | 122 | Not sure this is correct city name. 447th had no mission listed |
| 28 | Munster, Germany | August 15, 1944 | 128 | 447th had Handorf A/E |
LBC for John K. Lauer
See the growing collection of Lucky Bastard’s Club certificates from the 447th BG.
Some photos/information provided by:
- Family of John K. Lauer
Some information and/or images sourced from the American Air Museum database