Rome, NY WWII Fallen

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2Lt. John N. Marsland

USAAF #O-688075

8th Air Force, 447th Bomber Group, 708th Bomber Squadron

John Noel Marsland was born August 12, 1915, in Rome, Oneida County, New York, to Charles Harrington (1878-1955) and Ada Maria Silver (1884-1977) Marsland. John was the second of two sons born to the Marsland, his older brother being Charles Reginald Marsland (1911-1993).

Charles was born in Ashton, Underlyne, Lancashire, England, and Ada was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. The couple immigrated to the United States in 1909 and became U.S. citizens. Charles was employed by Revere Copper and Brass as a chemist, and was chief chemist at the time of his retirement in 1949. Charles and Ada visited England with Reginald in 1914, with both of their sons in 1920, and as a couple in 1948. Charles was active in dramatics while in Rome, serving as an actor and a director with the Nora E. Burke Players.

John attended local schools and graduated from Rome Free Academy (RFA) in 1934. In 1931, he and five other members of the Dramatic Club were in charge of make-up for an operetta staged by RFA. John also participated at RFA as a cheerleader in 1931, 1932, and 1933, on the tennis team in 1934, in the Winter Sports Club, and the “R” Club.

1934 RFA Yearbook Entry for John

John Marsland and Jane Fraver attended the annual Delta Omega Sorority Dance at St. Mary’s Auditorium in Rome, New York, on May 28, 1939.

Following high school, John attended Utica School of Commerce. The 1940 U.S. Census lists his occupation as a chemist at Revere Copper and Brass.

John registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, at Rome, New York. He was 5’ 10 ½ “ tall, weighed 150 pounds, and had gray eyes and brown hair. He was living with his parents at1205 North James Street in Rome, New York, and employed by Revere Copper and Brass. His brother, Reginald, also registered for the draft at that time. Reginald and his wife, Lucille, lived at 1206 Schuyler in Rome; he was also employed at Revere Copper and Brass as a chemist. Reginald graduated from Rome Free Academy in 1928 and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, in 1932 as a chemical engineer.

In 1941, John was employed as a civilian inspector for the U.S. Army Ordnance Department in the Buffalo and Rome war plants.

Jane Fraver 1933

John married Jane Kathryn Fraver on December 27, 1941, at St. Peter’s Church in Rome, New York. Jane graduated from Rome Free Academy in 1933 and from Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, with a teaching degree. Jane worked as a substitute teacher of English at Rome Free Academy until she received a full-time appointment in 1940 and a permanent contract in 1943. Jane was a member of Theta Phi Alpha Sorority.

In July 1942, John enlisted as an Army Air Cadet and was placed in the enlisted reserves. John entered the USAAF on January 6, 1943, and completed basic training in Nashville, Tennessee, and pre-flight training at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas. In August 1943, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and earned navigator’s wings at San Marcos, Texas, Army Aerial Navigator School. Lt. Marsland then reported to Moses Lake, Washington, and to Harvard Army Airfield, Harvard, Nebraska, where he was stationed until receiving flight orders.

From the 8th to the 12th of November 1943, sixty-two B17’s of the 447th Bomber Group left Harvard, Nebraska, Army Base for a transatlantic flight to England. They were called the “Harvard Planes.” Sixty arrived, and by the end of World War II, only five were left.

Lt. Marsland was the navigator for a crew on one of the B17 Bombers, (42-37865), which left Harvard Army Air Base, Nebraska, in early November, 1943, for the European Theater of Operations. The crew consisted of 2Lt. Marsland, Navigator, 2Lt. Leonard Thiesen, Pilot, 2Lt .Floyd Fuller, Co-Pilot, 2Lt. Daniel Duffin, Bombardier, Sgt. Raymond Bassimer, Engineer, Sgt. Gene Darter, Gunner, Sgt. Richard Doerck, Aerial Gunner, Sgt. George Dunger, Radio Operator, and PFC Basil Garros, Radio Operator. The plane flew from Nebraska to Maine and then Goose Bay, Labrador.

The Army Air Force “Missing Crew Report” of November 29, 1943, reported the plane left Goose Bay, Labrador, at 0233 GMT on November 27, 1943, for Prestwick, Scotland. Radar equipment at Goose Bay lost contact with the plane when it was 85 miles out and on course. No radio contact was made after the plane cleared the tower. 2Lt. Wayne Larson, pilot of 0-677639, reported contact by radio at one and a half hours out and was told “everything OK.” No further word was heard from 42-37865. A blizzard through the Goose Bay area prevented aerial and surface search for the plane. As soon as weather permitted, an immediate search was planned but nothing was found. The initial presumptive date of death was November 28, 1943, but was later listed as November 27, 1943.

On December 2, 1943, Mrs. Jane Marsland received a telegram from the commanding officer of an Army airfield in Maine reporting Lt. Marsland as missing somewhere between Maine and New Foundland; an intensive search was underway.

On December 29, 1943, Mrs. Jane Marsland received official notification from the War Department that her husband was declared dead. Lt. Marsland was the 51st Roman officially reported as dead in World War II.

A funeral service for Lt. Marsland was held January 19, 1945, at St. Peter’s Church, Rome, New York. The Right Reverend Monsignor James J. Carson celebrated a solemn requiem high mass. Lt. Marsland is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing of the East Coast Memorial, Battery Park, New York City, New York. Posthumously he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Rome Medal of Honor.

Lt. John Marsland was one of 5799 Service Personnel from New York Not Recovered following World War II, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

Lt. John Marsland is listed on Page 109 of the World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Force Personnel from New York. He is listed on Page 9196 of the U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1942-1945. The 1946 De-O-Wain-Sta Yearbook of Rome Free Academy of Rome, New York, includes John Marsland as a valiant alumnus who gave himself in service to God and Country.

2Lt. John Marsland is listed on the World War II, Army and Army Air Force Honor List of Dead and Missing Personnel from Oneida County, New York, at GenealogyTrails.com.

On November 28, 1944, John’s father, Charles Marsland, submitted “In Memoriam” to the local newspaper of Rome, New York. It read, “In memory of our dear son, 2nd Lieutenant John N. Marsland and his good companions, who, in the course of duty, on flight from Labrador to Scotland, were reported missing one year ago. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” On November 28, 1945, and again on November 28, 1947, he submitted a memorial to the local newspaper that read “In memory of our dear son, 2nd Lieut. John N. Marsland, and his good companions who lost their lives in the course of duty, November 28, 1943. Oh for the touch of a vanished hand, and the sound of a voice that is stilled.”

On Memorial Day, May 31, 1947, a bronze plaque was dedicated in memory of ten parishioners of St. Peter’s Church who died in military service in World War I and World War II. Sponsored by the Holy Name Society, the plaque was placed in the vestibule of St. Peter’s Church, Rome, New York. Lt. John N. Marsland was among the ten so honored.

Jane Fraver Marsland married Dr. Edward K. Reid on August 2, 1947. The couple had two children, James and Ellen. Dr. Reid served as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and as a medical director in the U.S. Public Health Service. Jane was born April 17, 1916, and deceased March 16, 2005, at age 88. Her second husband, Dr. Reid, was born in 1907 and deceased in 1985. The couple is buried in Saint Peter’s Catholic Cemetery in Rome, New York.

In 1949, Charles and Ada moved to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Charles died there on November 17, 1955.

Endnotes: This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project, a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3 web sites. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery. If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact hillerson@beyondbb.com.

Sources:

FindAGrave.com:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65288667/john-n-marsland

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/98327446/jane-reid

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/98327154/edward_k_reid

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66725412/eugene-darter

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65288745/leonard-jacob-thiesen

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65288051/daniel-lambert-duffin

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65287439/raymond-c-bassemir

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65288580/basil-stephen-garros

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65288178/george-dunger

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65287880/richard-r-doerck