US Army Air Corps Major John G. Weibel was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania on August 12, 1917, the son of John Tomer Weibel (1893-1966) and Sara Siebert (1895-1982). His father held several responsible positions during his lifetime in the Pittsburg area. First, he had served in the US Navy as a fireman 1st Class although there is no indication he served during WWI. However, his two brothers did serve in the war with Louis Werner Weibel (1899-1951) a Quarter Master 2nd Class and Cornelius W. with a supply company of the 320th Infantry Regiment in France.
In 1920, John T. was a foreman for a motor company and ten years later had taken a position as a salesman for an oil company. In 1935, the family had relocated to Dallas, Texas with the company. By 1940, he was the factory manager of a food manufacturing company with the family renting a house for $60.00 per month in Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia. Then came the war and everything changed for the family. Their son John G. had graduated from Westinghouse High School in Pittsburg in 1935 and moved with his family to Dallas, Texas that same year. At some point in time, he attended the University of Cincinnati in Ohio before relocating to Atlanta and entering Georgia Tech University. Within a few weeks of graduating, he left college and enlisted in the Army Air Corps.
By 1944, he was a Major and along with his crew were flying a new B-17 bomber to Europe. They had named their aircraft "Contrary Mary" and landed at the Presque Isle Air Base in Maine on March 11, 1944. This airfield was the closest base to Europe for all flights flying to and from England during the war. They took off for the long flight over the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Bassingbourn, England on April 27, 1944. In June 1944, they were transferred to the 601st Bomb Squadron of the 398th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force stationed at the Royal Air Force airfield at Nuthampstead (AAF-131). From this point on, all of their missions would originate from here.
On June 18, 1944, John and his crew took off from Nuthampstead heading for Hamburg, Germany. Its selection as a target throughout the war was due to the fact that it was large city that boasted an industrial center, shipyards, U-boat pens, and oil refineries. John was the deputy commander of the flight and upon arrival found intense anti-aircraft and fighter activity. Suddenly, they were hit by flak and their #1 engine caught fire and blew their wing off. The plane would spiral down and crash near Fleestedt, south of Hamburg in the Seevetal district, Germany. Seven of the crew were killed with three were able to bail out and became prisoners of war.
In 1948, for whatever reason , his parents were living in Pensacola, Florida at 1220 East Avery Street (still standing today) and were owners of the Dairy Bar at 1622 Barrancas Avenue.* When their son's remains were transported home aboard the Army transport SS Haiti Victory in 1949, they had him buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia instead of Pensacola. How long John and Sara remained in Pensacola is unknown but both were buried in the Baltimore National Cemetery upon their demise.
*Note that John G. Weibel was not from Pensacola but his remains were listed by the News Journal and being returned here. This article is only to clarify the misconception.










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