John D. Foley
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army Air Forces
Unit22nd Bomb Group
93rd Bombardment Group, 309th Bomber Squadron
Battles/warsWorld War II

John D. Foley (March 1, 1918 – December 21, 1999), served in the United States Army Air Forces as a gunner during World War II. He was the inspiration of the popular 1943 song "Johnny Got a Zero".[1]

Biography

Foley enlisted in November 1941.[2] After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to a non-combat role with the 22nd Bomb Group stationed in Australia. His diligent cleaning of the machine guns of a B-26 Marauder caught the attention of the bomber's pilot, Lieutenant Walter Krell.[3] As the top turret gunner was injured, Foley became his replacement, despite having no aerial-gunnery training.[1][2]

After a quick introduction to the equipment and procedures and one practice mission, Foley found himself on his first combat mission two days later, a raid against shipping near Rabaul on May 24, 1942.[3] He shot down an A6M Zero,[2] even though he had not even been taught how to use the gunsight.[3] Two weeks later, he was credited with two more over Lae.[2] International News Service war correspondent Pat Robinson wrote an article about him and dubbed him "Johnny Zero".[3]

The song "Johnny Got a Zero" was released as sheet music in 1943, lyrics by Mack David and music by Vee Lawnhurst, and topped out at #4 on the Variety list for the week of April 28.[4] An a cappella rendition by The Song Spinners, "Johnny Zero", stayed on Billboard magazine's charts from June to August, peaking at #7.[4] In the song, Johnny does poorly in school, with the other children mocking him with "Johnny got a zero" every time he fails a test. However, when he grows up and becomes a fighter pilot, the words take on an entirely different meaning.[4]

Foley flew on 31 more missions in the Pacific War, sharing credit for at least six confirmed victories and surviving three crashes (in the second, he was the sole survivor).[1][2] After contracting malaria, he was sent back to the United States in 1943 to undertake a promotional tour and become a gunnery instructor.

He applied to fight in Europe, and flew another 31 missions in only 60 days with the 309th Bomber Squadron as a gunner in a B-24 Liberator.[1][5] He volunteered for a third tour of duty, but the war ended.

He died on December 21, 1999, at the age of 81 in Banning, Riverside County, California.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Johnny Got a Zero". National Museum of the United States Air Force. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Frisbee, John L. (1993). "Valor: Unsung Heroes of World War II". Air Force Magazine. Air Force Association. 76 (7).
  3. 1 2 3 4 "JOHNNY ZERO". 22nd Bomb Group. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Jones, John Bush (2006). The songs that fought the war: popular music and the home front, 1939-1945. Waltham, Massachusetts: Brandeis University. p. 175. ISBN 1-58465-443-0.
  5. ↑ Renita Foster (August 17, 2009). "WW II veterans reflect on how music helped them cope with wartime service". United States Army. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
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