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missions and was no longer connected with this group, so high was his conception of duty that he volunteered to lead the formation in the correct belief that his participation would contribute materially to success in this attack. Maj. Jerstad led the formation into attack with full realization of the extreme hazards involved and despite withering fire from heavy and light antiaircraft guns. Three miles from the target his airplane was hit, badly damaged, and set on fire. Ignoring the fact that he was flying over a field suitable for a forced landing, he kept on the course. After the bombs of his aircraft were released on the target, the fire in his ship became so intense as to make further progress impossible and he crashed into the target area. By his voluntary acceptance of a mission he knew was extremely hazardous, and his assumption of an intrepid course of action at the risk of life over and above the call of duty, Maj. Jerstad set an example of heroism which will be an inspiration to the U.S. Armed Forces.
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341:. In October 1942, he went to Europe with the 93rd and flew B-24s with the 328th Bomb Squadron, as a captain. He was promoted to major in April 1943, and was assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing headquarters a month later. He was picked by Colonel Edward L. Timberlake, former commander of the "Traveling Circus" to be Timberlake's chief operations officer.
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By August 1943, he had completed more than his tour of missions. He was no longer directly connected with the 93rd Bomb Group. He had conducted many of the missions in an aircraft nicknamed "Jerk's
Natural"; "Jerk" was a reference to his own name, Jack Jerstad, and "Natural" referred to the fact the
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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. On 1 August 1943, he served as pilot of the lead aircraft in his group in a daring low-level attack against enemy oil refineries and installations at
Ploesti, Romania. Although he had completed more than his share of
357:, Romania. This mission, conducted on August 1, 1943, ended with five U.S. Air Force airmen, including Maj. John L. Jerstad, earning the Medal of Honor; three, including Jerstad, posthumously. Sixty aircraft were lost on the mission.
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For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on
October 28, 1943. His family accepted the medal on his behalf during a presentation ceremony at Holy Communion Church in Racine.
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349:. When Jerstad heard of the upcoming low-level bombing mission against the oil refineries at PloieĹźti, Romania, he volunteered to lead a formation. The mission was
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Three miles from the target, Jerstad's bomber, nicknamed "Hell's Wench", was badly damaged and set aflame by enemy ground fire. More than 230
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Seven years after his aircraft was shot down, the military notified
Jerstad's family that his remains had been located. He was buried at the
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665:. The Legacy Museum, run by the Racine Veterans Center, includes an exhibit of photographs and artifacts relating to the two men.
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265:, Jerstad was the older of two children of Art and Alice Jerstad. His sister Mary was four years his junior. Jerstad attended
281:, and while in college he returned to Racine during the summers to run a children's day camp. He taught school for a year in
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Major John L. Jerstad, U.S. Army Air Corps, World War II Medal of Honor
Recipient (Congressional Medal of Honor Society)
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in Racine is named in honor of
Jerstad and fellow Medal of Honor recipient and Racine native
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depicts
Jerstad's badly damaged bomber over the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania
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Kent, Alan E. (Winter 1952–1953). "Wisconsin and the Medal of Honor".
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United States Army Air Forces personnel killed in World War II
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Jerstad's official Medal of Honor citation reads as follows:
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plane's serial numbers added to 7 and 11, a "natural" in
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United States Army Air Forces Medal of Honor recipients
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Aerial disappearances of military personnel in action
273:, earning a degree there in 1940. He participated in
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United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
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914:Burials at Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial
691:List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
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813:"Medal of Honor recipients - World War II (G–L)"
567:European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
944:World War II recipients of the Medal of Honor
821:United States Army Center of Military History
639:Jerstad's grave at Ardennes American Cemetery
237:. He received the medal for his actions as a
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840:John L. Frisbee, "Into the Mouth of Hell",
225:(February 12, 1918 – August 1, 1943) was a
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269:and, after graduating in 1936, went on to
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229:officer who was posthumously awarded the
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90:Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial
934:United States Army Air Forces officers
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621:John L. Jerstad, U.S. Air Force Photo
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728:Wicklund, Pete (October 11, 2008).
696:List of solved missing person cases
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233:military's highest decoration, the
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874:Aviators killed by being shot down
313:, on July 12, 1941. He trained at
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909:Missing in action of World War II
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755:The Wisconsin Magazine of History
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730:"Tribute honors fallen soldier"
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889:Northwestern University alumni
555:American Defense Service Medal
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929:Recipients of the Silver Star
884:People from Racine, Wisconsin
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287:United States Army Air Forces
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227:United States Army Air Forces
121:United States Army Air Forces
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924:Recipients of the Air Medal
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516:Army Air Forces Pilot Badge
267:Washington Park High School
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645:Ardennes American Cemetery
577:World War II Victory Medal
533:Distinguished Flying Cross
285:, before enlisting in the
206:Distinguished Flying Cross
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301:Roy Grinnell's painting
109:United States of America
904:Aviators from Wisconsin
788:United States Air Force
609:Medal of Honor Citation
562:American Campaign Medal
271:Northwestern University
241:pilot during a raid on
784:"Maj. John L. Jerstad"
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164:European air campaign
127:Years of service
364:, supported by many
351:Operation Tidal Wave
311:Milwaukee, Wisconsin
174:Operation Tidal Wave
149:2nd Bombardment Wing
315:Ontario, California
261:Born and raised in
842:Air Force Magazine
663:Harold C. Agerholm
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548:with three bronze
362:anti-aircraft guns
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223:John Louis Jerstad
79:Kingdom of Romania
734:The Journal Times
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383:Awards and honors
374:missing in action
303:Fire over Ploesti
263:Racine, Wisconsin
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59:Racine, Wisconsin
56:February 12, 1918
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792:the original
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540:Purple Heart
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251:World War II
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210:Purple Heart
179:
169:Oil campaign
159:World War II
155:Battles/wars
70:(1943-08-01)
864:1943 deaths
859:1918 births
528:Silver Star
202:Silver Star
130:1941 – 1943
38:Nickname(s)
853:Categories
827:2009-08-10
798:2009-08-11
739:2009-08-11
702:References
370:smoke pots
347:dice games
319:Luke Field
279:Sea Scouts
275:Boy Scouts
257:Early life
97:Allegiance
52:1918-02-12
761:(2): 107.
545:Air Medal
355:Bucharest
339:Louisiana
214:Air Medal
669:See also
243:PloieĹźti
115:Service/
75:PloieĹźti
653:Belgium
323:Arizona
247:Romania
180:†
649:Neupré
631:Legacy
317:, and
194:Awards
176:
117:branch
106:
41:“Jack”
647:near
249:, in
139:Major
368:and
329:and
327:98th
277:and
239:B-24
145:Unit
135:Rank
65:Died
46:Born
333:at
216:(4)
855::
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54:)
50:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
