Black Hawk County

Lt. John L. Becker

Receives Husband’ Medal

 

Mrs. John Becker, 418 Oak avenue, is shown receiving the Air Medal at her home here Saturday from Capt. Herman Lusky, St. Joseph, Mo., in behalf of her husband, Second Lt. John Becker, who has been missing over Germany since Feb. 21. The award was made for Lieutenant Becker’s exceptionally meritorious achievements during continuous operational missions over enemy occupied territory. He is the son of Mrs. Raymond Brown, Graystone apartments, and was serving as a navigator on a B-24 based in England.

Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Sunday, November 12, 1944, Page 3 (photo included)

Service News

Lt. Beryl Becker is spending a 15-day emergency leave with her mother, Mrs. Raymond Brown, and her sister-in-law, Mrs. John Becker, at 1308 West Third street, the family having been notified recently that Lt. John Becker, Becker’s brother, had been declared dead by the war department. He had been missing in action in Germany for 15 months. Lieutenant Becker will return to Camp Claiborne, La.

Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Monday, May 28, 1945, Page 3

John L. “Jack” Becker was born Mar. 24, 1919 to John L. and Phoebe Mary Koehne Becker. He died Feb. 21, 1944 and is memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing, Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.

2nd Lt. Jack Becker served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 579th Bomber Squadron, 392nd Bomber Group, Heavy as a navigator. He was MIA/KIA near the Dutch Coast and was awarded the Purple Heart and Air Medal.

Source: fieldsofhonor data base