John Francis Thees

Korean War
Service #AO-2225641
Unit35 FTR BOMB SQ 8 FTR BOMB GP
RankFirst Lieutenant U.S. Air Force
Date of DeathJuly 20 1953
StatusMissing In Action
Memorialized
Courts of the Missing
Court
8
Air Medal
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
First Lieutenant Thees was awarded the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Notes
First Lieutenant Thees was the pilot of a F-86F Sabre Jet fighter bomber with the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter-Bomber Group. On July 20, 1953, while on a combat mission of bombing enemy positions, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashed and burst into flames. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on July 21, 1954. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.