John Edward Dwyer was born in April 28, 1919 in Elkton, Maryland, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Weaver.  His mother later moved to Chester, Pennsylvania.

 John attended the Church Farm School in Frazer, Pennsylvania,  beginning his residence there.   He was popularly known as “Mickey” in school, and played forward on the basketball team, and tackle on the football team.  John was also sprinter and weight man on the track team.  He was said to be the schools best farmer.

 John overcame several illnesses.  He had Measles, Mumps, Chicken Pox, and Scarlet Fever while staying at school, but he successfully recovered from them all.  According to the yearbook, he was the portliest and most jovial of his class. 

 John graduated on June 4, 1937.  After graduation, he assisted in the dairy program at the school and  a few years later obtained employment at Abbott Dairies.

 John enlisted in the Army Air Forces on his 22^nd birthday – April 28, 1941.  He spent a number of months training as an aviation mechanic on B-24 Liberator bombers at MacDill Field in Florida.  After training his unit - 44^th Bomb Group, Heavy – ‘The Flying Eight Balls’ - flew antisubmarine patrols in the Caribbean.   His group was shipped overseas to England, flying missions against occupied France and Germany. Later his unit was sent to North Africa.

During his service in North Africa, he contracted an unknown disease which reduced his weight from 210 pounds to 110 pounds.  Despite hospitalization, he never recovered.  He died on November 11, 1943, Armistice Day.

 John was buried at St. Paul’s Cemetery in Glen Lock, Pennsylvania.

 All graduates of the Church Farm School class of 1937 served in the military.

Note:

According to the 44^th Bomb Group Web Site, John Dwyer's unit participated in the air raid on the Ploesti Oil Fields in Romania.

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