John A. Pritchard Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 12, 1914 Redfield, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | November 28, 1942 (aged 28) Greenland |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Coast Guard |
| Years of service | 1934–1942 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | USCGC Northland |
| Known for | died during a rescue attempt |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross (posthumous) |
John A. Pritchard Jr. (January 12, 1914 – November 28, 1942) was a United States Coast Guardsman who died while attempting to rescue the crew of a USAAF bomber that had crashed-landed in Greenland in November 1942. Pritchard was the pilot of the USCGC Northland's Grumman J2F-4 Duck floatplane. When a B-17 bomber crash landed near Northland his aircraft was assigned to search for it. He sighted the bomber, and landed as close to the wreck as possible. Pritchard and his radioman, RM1 Benjamin A. Bottoms, were able to assist two of the injured bomber crew to their plane, and take them back to Northland. However, on their second rescue visit they encountered bad weather, and crashed. It took seventy-five years to locate their bodies.