Briefing Document: John Elisha Caldwell Jr.

Date: October 26, 2023

Subject: Biographical and Military Service Information for John Elisha Caldwell Jr.

Source: Excerpt from "Pasted Text" (assumed to be a biographical record or similar)

1. Key Summary

This document details the life and military service of John Elisha Caldwell Jr., who was killed in action during World War II. The text traces his upbringing, education, and military enlistment, culminating in his death during a bombing mission over Germany. The information emphasizes the circumstances of his death and his eventual reinterment at the Netherlands American Cemetery.

2. Biographical Information

Birth and Family:Born on November 18, 1918, near Bangs, Brown County, Texas.

Parents: Dussie Vise (b. 1889, Alabama; d. 1931, Bangs, Texas) and John E. Caldwell Sr. (b. 1887, Colorado County, Texas; d. 1962, Bangs, Texas).

The text indicates that at the time of John Elisha Caldwell Jr.'s birth, his mother was 30 and his father was 32.

Lived with his parents and two brothers in Pct5 Brown County, Texas as of 1930.

Early Life and Education:Lived in Pct5 Brown County, Texas as of 1935.

By 1940, at the age of 21, he was boarding in Ward1 Brownwood, Pct1 Brown County, Texas.

Had four years of high school education.

Pre-Military Occupation:Worked as a stenographer prior to enlistment.

Draft Registration:Registered for the draft in Brownwood, Texas, on October 18, 1940.

Listed Charles P. Thomason as his next of kin.

3. Military Service

Enlistment:Enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps from civilian life on October 28, 1940, at Fort Worth, Texas.

His Army Service Number (ASN) was 18037726.

Unit:Served as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces.

Assigned to the 367th Bombardment Squadron, 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force.

Role:Served as a bombardier on a Boeing B-17G-25-BO Fortress (s/n 42-31670).

The B-17 was based out of Thurleigh Air Base, England.

Combat Mission:On February 22, 1944, participated in a combat bombing mission targeting aircraft plants in Bernburg, Germany.

4. Death and Burial

Circumstances of Death:The B-17 was attacked by enemy fighters and began to break apart.

The plane crashed near Herchen, Germany.

First Lieutenant Caldwell was killed in the crash, along with three other crew members. The other crew members bailed out successfully and were captured.

Burial:Initially buried in a temporary grave.

Reinterred at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands after the end of World War II.

5. Key Quotations

"...John E. Caldwell asn-18037726 a single white male born 1918 in Texas and residing in Brown County, Texas working as a stenographer with four years of high school education enlisted from civilian life into the US Army Air Corps at Fort Worth, Texas on 28 October 1940."

"First Lieutenant John E. Caldwell Jr. US Army Air Forces... was the bombardier aboard the Boeing B-17G-25-BO Fortress s/n 42-31670 out of Thurleigh Air Base, England 22 February 1944 on a combat bombing mission to target aircraft plants in Bernburg, Germany."

"The B-17 was attacked by enemy fighters, the B-17 began breaking up and it crashed near Herchen, Germany. 1Lt Caldwell was killed along with three other crewmen, the rest were able to bailout and be captured."

6. Main Themes

Early Life in Texas: The text gives a picture of a young man growing up in rural Texas, living in the same county for the first two decades of his life.

Impact of War: The document illustrates the abrupt transition from civilian life to military service and the extreme dangers faced by aircrews in World War II.

Sacrifice and Loss: The text highlights the ultimate sacrifice made by John E. Caldwell Jr. in service to his country. His life story is a brief but powerful glimpse into the personal costs of war.

Commemoration and Remembrance: The reinterment in the Netherlands American Cemetery demonstrates the ongoing efforts to honor and remember those who died in the war.

7. Further Research

Further research could involve:

Accessing military records to confirm and expand on the details of his service.

Investigating the mission of February 22, 1944, to understand the broader context of his service and death.

Exploring the history of the 306th Bombardment Group and the operations of the 8th Air Force.

This briefing document provides a comprehensive summary of the provided information about the life and service of John Elisha Caldwell Jr. The text underscores his commitment to serving his country, and his ultimate sacrifice during World War II.