John Francis Boden was born December 6, 1924 in Utica New York to Frank J. Boden Sr. (1890-1970) and Caroline Harrier (1887-1970). Both of his parents were from New York. His parents were married in Utica, NY on October 1, 1910. His dad was a policeman and later a bricklayer. His mom was a dressmaker before she married and later worked as a dental assistant. John was the youngest of their 4 children which included Carolyn (1911-1980 who served in the WACS during World War II), Irene (1913-1913, died shortly after birth) and Frank Jr. (1916-1998). The family lived on Sunnyside Drive in Utica, NY. John attended local schools where he excelled, often making the honor roll. He graduated from Utica Free Academy High School in 1942. While there he was a member of their German Club (Der Deutsche Verein), vice president of the Octopus Club and in the Hughes Choir.

John registered for the draft on December 29, 1942 in Utica, New York. At that time he was employed by F.W. Woolworth Company in Utica. Three months later, on March 20, 1943, he was drafted into the Army as a Private with service number 32853522. He completed aerial gunnery training and in September 1944 was promoted to staff sergeant while stationed in Italy.

On September 22, 1944 John’s B-24, serial #42-78407 left Stornara Airfield on a bombing mission of Riem Airfield, a German military airfield outside Munich, Germany. According to the Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 8756, while over the target area at 23,000 feet, the plane was struck by enemy anti-aircraft fire. An airman flying in the same bomber formation, reported he observed John’s plane losing altitude in the target area, entering a steep dive, and crashing into a wooded area near Otterfing, Germany. He also stated he saw two parachutes from the stricken plane before it crashed.

Originally reported as "missing", nineteen year old S/Sgt. John F. Boden, left waist gunner, was one of the eight airmen who were killed in the crash. He was awarded the Purple Heart Medal and Air Medal posthumously, was originally interred in Europe, and on August 10, 1950 was repatriated at Arlington National Cemetery at Section 12, Site 6189. He is named on a group headstone, since soldiers killed in close proximity to one another were unable to be identified separately at that time, consequently their remains were interred together in one grave.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

"3 Uticans Win Promotions at Home, Abroad", Utica Daily Press, October

Ancestry.com. U.S., National Cemetery Interment Control Forms, 1928-1962 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15029805/john_f-boden: accessed March 31, 2026), memorial page for SSGT John F. Boden (6 Dec 1924–22 Sep 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 15029805, citing Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by Hope (contributor 46790939).

"J.F. Boden Missing in Action", Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, October 6, 1944, pg. 6-A.

"Lost Gunner Reported Dead", Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, illegible date, pg. 8.

National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, 20740-6001; Record Group 92; Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General; Series: Missing Air Crew Reports; Missing Air Crew Report number 8756; NAID: 91059077.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri;Morning Report for August 1944: Roll 492; Record Group 64: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration; Series: Morning Reports; NAID: 565991419.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Marriage Index

"U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; School Name: Utica Free Academy; Year: 1942

"Utica Girls Who Are Among the First to Join the Ranks of Early June Brides", Utica Observer-Dispatch, Utica, NY, June 8, 1941, Section B, pg. 1.

"Utica Gunner Lost in Action", Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, October 7, 1944, pg. 3

Year: 1930; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0154; FHL microfilm: 2341357

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02862; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 67-105

Supporting Documents

Relevant Pages from Missing Air Crew Report follow: