John D. Landers | Timeline

John Dave Landers was a USAAF officer during WW2 and an American ace credited with 14.5 enemy air-to-air victories, and 20 destroyed in the ground. He ended the war as a Lieutenant-Colonel in command of the 361st Fighter Group.

June 23, 1920 - Rexroat, Carter County, Oklahoma - John Dave Landers is born

January(?) 1(?), 1936 - Cleburne, Texas - John Landers graduates in Cleburne High School

January(?) 1(?), 1937 - Conway, Arkansas - Arkansas Teacher's College

July 28, 1938 - Joshua, Texas - 18-year old Landers applies for a social security card. Employed in a gas company

April 1(?), 1941 - Landers enlists in the military

December 1(?), 1941 - Stockton, San Diego, California - Landers receives his wings and commission of 2nd Lieutenant a few days after Pearl Harbour

January 12, 1942 - San Francisco - Landers departs from San Francisco to Australia aboard the transportship "SS Mariposa"

January 18, 1942 - Honolulu, Hawaii - The "SS Mariposa" arrives in Hawaii

February 2, 1942 - Melbourne - Arrival in Australia

February 14, 1942 - Williamtown, Australia - 9th FS moves to Williamtown

March 17, 1942 - Darwin, Australia - 9th FS based at Darwin

April 4, 1942 - Between Darwin and Melville Island - 2 victories (2 total)

June 14, 1942 - Darwin - 1 victory (3 total)

July 30, 1942 - Darwin - 1 victory (4 total)

October 1(?), 1942 - Buna, New Guinea - Landers and Squadron are moved to New Guinea, near Buna

October 10, 1942 - Port Moresby - Deployed to Port Moresby, attached to 9th FS, 49th Fighter Group

October 14, 1942 - Melbourne, Australia - On leave in Melbourne

December 26, 1942 - over Dobodura - 2 victories (6 total) - Landers is then shot down and evades capture

December 27, 1942 - near Dobodura, New Guinea - Evading capture

February(?) 1(?), 1943 - United States - Landers returns to the USA. (6 victories total) Next, serves as flight instructor

January(?) 1(?), 1944 - United States - Landers completes P-38 training
April 25, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Landers joins 38th FS/55th Fighter Group (P-38J-15)
April 28, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Chateaudun
May 5, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Appointed Squadron Operations Officer
May 21, 1944 - over E/Helmstedt - 2 aircraft destroyed in the ground
June 2, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Versailles/Matelot
June 9, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Landers is promoted to Major
June 12, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Rennes
June 25, 1944 - SW of Paris - 1 FW190 shot down (7 total) + 1 damaged
July 7, 1944 - Over Bernburg - 3 Me410 shot down (10 total) + 1 Bf109 damaged
July 8, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Landers is appointed Commander of 38th FS
July 11, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Munich
July 19, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Russelshein (first mission on P-51)
July 21, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Kempton
July 29, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Merseberg
August 5, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Braunschweig
August 6, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Gdynia, Poland
August 11, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Strasbourg
August 24, 1944 - Burg - 2 Ju-88 destroyed in the ground (mission over Dresden)
August 26, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Two missons over Strasbourg and Nancy-Culmont
August 30, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Bremen
September 5, 1944 - Stuttgart/Boblingen - 1 Ju-88 destroyed in the ground + another aircraft damaged
September 10, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Nurnburg
September 12, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Leipzig
September 18, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Landers is promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Oak Leaf to his Silver Star
September 25, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Ludwigshafen
September 26, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Bremen
September 30, 1944 - Wormingford, Essex - Mission over Bielefeld
October 12, 1944 - Leiston - Landers is appointed Group Commander of 357th Fighter Group
November 18, 1944 - Leiston - 1 victory (11 total)
December 2, 1944 - Leiston - Landers is replaced in command of 357th Fighter Group. Departs to the USA
February 22, 1945 - Duxford - Return to England - Lt Col John D Landers assumes command of the 78th Fighter Group
March 2, 1945 - over Burg, near Magdeburg - 2 Me109 victories (13 total)
March 19, 1945 - over Osnabruck - 1 victory (14 total)
March 30, 1945 - over Rendsburg - 1 Me262 shot down with another pilot (14,5 total)
May 1(?), 1945 - Duxford - Landers is promoted to Colonel
July 1(?), 1945 - RAF Little Walden - Landers is appointed commander of 361st Fighter Group
October 1(?), 1945 - Camp Kilmer, New Jersey - Landers returns to the US
December 1(?), 1945 - Camp Kilmer, New Jersey - Landers leaves active duty
January(?) 1(?), 1966 - Belle Chase, Louisiana - A reader met John Landers in Brown & Root inc Field office, in 1966
January(?) 1(?), 1979 - Granbury, Hood County, Texas - Landers moves to Granbury

January(?) 1(?), 1988 - Granbury, Hood County, Texas - Landers gives a presentation before a meeting of the Granbury Radio Control Airplane Club
September 12, 1989 - Granbury, Hood County, Texas - John Landers dies in Hood General Hospital, aged 69 =(END)