By Deborah Larsen
John Lowell Fairchild
John Lowell Fairchild was born in Detroit, Michigan, on September 15, 1922, the son of Lowell and Mary Starns Fairchild. John attended Rochester High School and graduated in the class of 1940. After high school, he worked for Chrysler Corporation.
In March 1943, John entered the U.S. Army Air Forces. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in January 1944 and trained as a pilot, flying the P-47 Thunderbolt. He was stationed in Italy with the 86th Fighter Squadron of the 79th Fighter Group. John completed 95 combat missions and was promoted to captain, serving as a senior flight leader in his unit. He participated in the invasions of Sicily and southern France and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
After the war, John remained in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Bangor, Maine. He was flying an F-84 Thunderjet in an exhibition at Rochester, New Hampshire, on September 24, 1948, when his aircraft caught fire and exploded. John was killed in the crash.
John Lowell Fairchild was laid to rest in Mount Avon Cemetery.
How did you happen to chose to write about my uncle John Fairchild. This really pleases me. I have a tremendous about of information regarding him. I never met him, the accident occurred before I was born in 1953. Thank you!
Hi Virginia,
We are researching every name on our World War II Honor Roll and writing brief biographies. Thank you for contacting us! If you’d like to share more about your uncle, please email us at rahsupdates@gmail.com.