Stephenson, John Gay (Air Commodore)

Killed in Flying Accident 1960-April-29

Air Commodore John Gay Stephenson RCAF

Birth Date: 1914-April-04

Born: Windsor, Essex County, Ontario, Canada

Parents: Son of John and Irene Stephenson

Spouse: Husband of Barbara Stephenson. Father of Michael and John Stephenson

Home: Windsor, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Decorations: OBE, AFC, CD

Service

RCAF

Unit

Air Defence Command ADC- Air Defence Command

Base

RCAF Uplands

Rank

Air Commodore

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

C/860

Home

Windsor, Ontario

Final Burial

Windsor Grove Cemetery
Section D West Row 28 in front of mausoleum

Air Commodore Stephenson was an RMC Graduate and had flown with the RCAF in WW2 and as a 432 Squadron Wing Commander, Stephenson was shot down 1945-01-05 in Halifax VII aircraft NP 817 QO-D and became a Prisoner of War. He was freed in March 1945 and continued to serve in the RCAF, rising to the rank of Air Commodore until he lost his life in this accident

Air Commodore John Gay Stephenson is commemorated on Page 108 of the 'In the Service of Canada' Book of Remembrance

unvetted Source Air Commodore John Gay Stephenson - National...

12 RCAF Air Transport Command (Falcon) Squadron, Uplands, Ottawa. B-25 Mitchell III aircraft 5220 had just taken off from Milwaukee airport with an intended destination of Truax Field Air National Guard Base at the Dane County Regional Airport near Madison, Wisconsin. However, with one engine out of control and with a over-speeding propeller, the Mitchell was forced to turn back. Tragically, it crashed into the Milwaukee Harbour of Lake Michigan, 1 mile off shore, three miles short of the runway at Billy Michell Field, Milwaukee. All six crew members on board the aircraft perished in the accident

Air Commodore JG Stephenson OBE AFC CD (RCAF), Wing Commander GW Kusair DFC CD (RCAF), Flyong Officer RP Howard (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant DE Dyck (RCAF), Sergeant LUJ Bisson (RCAF) and Leading Aircraftman NA Porteus (RCAF) were all killed in the crash

unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Mitchell 5220

Sergeant Lawrence Ulrich Joseph Bisson RCAF

Sergeant Bisson, Lawrence Ulrich Joseph (RCAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1960-April-29
Beechmount Cemetery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Flight Lieutenant Delmar Edward Dyck RCAF

Flight Lieutenant Dyck, Delmar Edward (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1960-April-29
Hazelwood Cemetery, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

Flying Officer Robert Paul Howard RCAF

Flying Officer Howard, Robert Paul (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1960-April-29
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, London, Ontario, Canada

Wing Commander George Walter Kusiar RCAF

Wing Commander Kusiar, George Walter (RCAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1960-April-29
Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Leading Aircraftman Neil Allan Porteous RCAF

Leading Aircraftman Porteous, Neil Allan (RCAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1960-April-29
Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Air Commodore John Gay Stephenson RCAF

Air Commodore Stephenson, John Gay (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1960-April-29
Windsor Grove Cemetery, Giles Boulevard East, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Mission

Mitchell Mk. 3PT / 3ST 5220

Transport 1960-April-29 to 1960-April-29

412 (T) Sqn (RCAF) RCAF Uplands

412 RCAF Air Transport Command (Falcon) Squadron, Uplands, Ottawa. B-25 Mitchell III aircraft 5220 had just taken off from Milwaukee airport with an intended destination of Truax Field Air National Guard Base at the Dane County Regional Airport near Madison, Wisconsin. However, with one engine out of control and with a over-speeding propeller, the Mitchell was forced to turn back. Tragically, it crashed into the Milwaukee Harbour of Lake Michigan, 1 mile off shore, three miles short of the runway at Billy Michell Field, Milwaukee. All six crew members on board the aircraft perished in the accident

unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

Mitchell serial: 5220

North American B-25J Mitchell Mk. III
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in every theater of World War II, and after the war ended, many remained in service, operating across four decades. Produced in numerous variants, nearly 10,000 B-25s were built.

The North American B-25 Mitchell was flown by the RCAF during and after the Second World War. The RCAF flew the B-25 Mitchell for training during the war and continued flying operations after the war, in Canada with most of 162 Mitchells received. The first B-25s had originally been diverted to Canada from RAF orders. These included one Mitchell Mk. I, 42 Mitchell Mk. IIs, and 19 Mitchell Mk. IIIs. No 13 (P) Squadron was formed unofficially at RCAF Station Rockcliffe in May 1944 and flew Mitchell Mk. IIs on high-altitude aerial photography sorties. No. 5 OTU (Operational Training Unit) at Boundary Bay, British Columbia and Abbotsford, British Columbia, operated the B-25D Mitchell in a training role together with B-24 Liberators for Heavy Conversion as part of the BCATP. The RCAF retained the Mitchell until October 1963.

No. 418 (Auxiliary) Squadron received its first Mitchell Mk. IIs in January 1947. It was followed by No. 406 (Auxiliary), which flew Mitchell Mk. IIs and Mk. IIIs from April 1947 to June 1958. No. 418 Operated a mix of Mk. IIs and Mk. IIIs until March 1958. No. 12 Squadron of Air Transport Command also flew Mitchell Mk. IIIs along with other types from September 1956 to November 1960. In 1951, the RCAF received an additional 75 B-25Js from USAF stocks to make up for attrition and to equip various second-line units.. Wikipedia and Harold Skaarup web page

YouTube Mitchell Bomber