John C. Egan
{{Short description|American pilot (1915–1961)}}
{{Infobox military person
|name = John G Egan
|image = John Egan.jpg
|image_upright =
|alt =
|caption =
|native_name =
|other_name =
|nickname = Bucky
|birth_date = {{birth date|1915|9|8}}
|birth_place = Manitowoc, Wisconsin, U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|1961|04|16|1915|9|8}}
|death_place = McLean, Virginia, U.S.
|death_cause =
|placeofburial = Arlington National Cemetery
|placeofburial_label =
|placeofburial_coordinates =
|allegiance = United States
|branch = {{unbulleted list|
|United States Army Air Forces
}}
|branch_label =
|serviceyears = 1940–1961
|serviceyears_label =
|rank = Colonel
|rank_label =
|servicenumber = O-399510
|unit = 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
|commands = 47th Reconnaissance Group
|known_for =
|battles = World War II
Korean War
|battles_label
|awards = Distinguished Flying Cross
Legion of Merit
Purple Heart
Air Medal (4)
|memorials =
|alma_mater =
|spouse = {{marriage|Josephine Pitz Egan|1946}}
|children = 2
|relations =
|laterwork =
|signature =
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}}
John Clarence "Bucky" Egan (September 8, 1915 – April 16, 1961) was an American pilot who served with the 100th Bomb Group of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and later with the United States Air Force in the Korean War.{{cite news |title=Major tells story of first shuttle raid on Germany |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pasadena-post-major-tells-story-of-f/139756459/ |access-date=28 January 2024 |work=The Pasadena Post |agency=United Press |date=24 August 1943 |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}{{cite news |title=Col. Egan, USAF, dies; Served in two wars |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star-col-egan-usaf-dies-serv/139763054/ |access-date=28 January 2024 |work=Evening Star |date=18 April 1961 |page=26 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}
Early life and military career
Born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Egan attended school there and later went on to St. Thomas College in St. Paul, Minnesota.{{cite news |title=Heart attack claims life of Col. J. C. Egan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/manitowoc-herald-times-heart-attack-clai/139753228/ |access-date=28 January 2024 |work=Manitowoc Herald-Times |date=17 April 1961 |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}
After the outbreak of World War II, Egan enlisted in the Air Corps in 1940, receiving flight training at Randolph and Kelly Fields, Texas. After serving as an instructor at Randolph Field, he was assigned to the 100th Bomb Group for overseas service in 1942. Initially a group operations officer, he rose to the rank of major and took command of the group's 418th Bomb Squadron in June 1943. In August 1943, he recounted that he carried two rosaries, two good luck medals and a $2 bill that he would chew off a corner for each mission, while recounting the Regensburg raid to United Press.{{Cite news |last=Egan |first=John C |date=August 23, 1943 |title=Rockets and Aerial Bombs Weathered by Flying Forts |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/623305021/?match=1&terms=%22John%20C%20Egan%22 |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Pornona Process-Bulletin |pages=1}}
On October 10, 1943, Egan's plane was shot down during a raid on Münster, Germany. He survived and was captured after evading capture for four days, and held as a prisoner of war until May 1945.{{Cite book |last=Murphy |first=Frank |title=Luck of the Draw: My Story of the Air War in Europe |publisher=St Martins Griffin |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-250-28415-0 |location=New York |pages=261}} In June 1946, he was promoted to the permanent rank of lieutenant colonel.
At the beginning of the Korean War, Egan was in command of the 47th Reconnaissance Group and was promoted to colonel in 1951. He flew several air support missions against Chinese and North Korean ground forces in an A-26 Invader.
After the war, he served as deputy chief of staff for operations of the Fifth Air Force in Japan before being appointed director of operations for the Pacific Air Force in Hawaii in 1956.{{Cite news |date=February 5, 1956 |title=Egan Director of Air Base Operations |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/259969270/?match=1&terms=%22John%20C%20Egan%22 |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |pages=10}} In 1958, he was assigned to The Pentagon in Washington, D.C..
Personal life
During flight school he gave the nickname Buck to fellow airman and best friend Gale "Buck" Cleven, as Cleven reminded him of a Wisconsin friend named Buck.{{Cite web |last=Solly |first=Meilan |date=23 January 2024 |title=The Real History Behind 'Masters of the Air' and the 100th Bomb Group |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-real-history-behind-masters-of-the-air-and-the-100th-bomb-group-180983629/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}
In 1945, Egan was engaged to the former Josephine Pitz, also of Manitowoc, and they married on December 26, 1946. Pitz was the first female pilot to be licensed in Manitowoc in 1930 and served for twenty-one months as a Women Airforce Service Pilot during World War II.{{Cite news |date=April 25, 2006 |title=Josephine (Dodi) Pitz Egan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/manitowoc-herald-times-obituary-for-jose/57885260/?locale=en-US |access-date=April 5, 2024 |work=Manitowoc Hearld-Times |pages=3}}
John C. Egan died on April 16, 1961, while on active duty after suffering a heart attack at his home in McLean, Virginia. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, two sisters, and his mother; his father predeceased him. In 1962, he was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit.{{cite news |title=Deceased air ace awarded Legion of Merit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/manitowoc-herald-times-deceased-air-ace/139755526/ |access-date=28 January 2024 |work=Manitowoc Herald-Times |date=5 December 1962 |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}
In popular culture
Egan is portrayed by British actor Callum Turner in Apple TV+'s miniseries Masters of the Air.{{cite news |author1=Jonny Wilkes |title=The real John Egan: who was Bucky in Masters of the Air? |url=https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/real-john-egan-bucky-masters-of-the-air/ |access-date=January 28, 2024 |work=History Extra |publisher=Immediate Media Company |date=January 26, 2024}}
Awards and honors
His awards include:
| colspan="2"|150px USAF Command pilot badge |
| {{ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|name=Legion of Merit ribbon|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|other_device=|ribbon=Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=|type=oak|ribbon=Purple_Heart_ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=3|type=oak|name=Air Medal ribbon|width=106}}
|Air Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters |
| {{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|ribbon=Army_Commendation_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|Army Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters |
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=AF Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon.png|width=106}}
|Air Force Presidential Unit Citation with bronze oak leaf cluster |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Prisoner of War ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|American Campaign Medal with bronze service star |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze campaign stars |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|name=National Defense Service Medal ribbon|width=106}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|other_device=|name=KSMRib|width=106}}
|Korean Service Medal with bronze campaign star |
| {{ribbon devices|number=4|type=oak|name=Air Force Longevity Service ribbon|width=106}}
|Air Force Longevity Service Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=United Nations Service Medal for Korea Ribbon|width=106}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/person/john-c-egan John Egan] at American Air Museum
{{US-army-World-War-II-bio-stub}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Egan, John C.}}
Category:American prisoners of war in World War II
Category:Aviators from Wisconsin
Category:Military personnel from Wisconsin
Category:People from Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Category:United States Army Air Forces officers
Category:United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
Category:Recipients of the Air Medal
Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Category:United States Air Force colonels
Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
Category:American Korean War bomber pilots
Category:United States Air Force personnel of the Korean War