John D. Musser Aboard Carrier Reported Safe
Lone Tree—Mrs. Mae Musser received word from her son John D. Musser, who has been on an aircraft carrier the past two years located in the Pacific war zone, that he is all right.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, Feb. 19, 1942
Navy Casualty List Has Names of Local Youths
John D. Musser, jr., machinist mate, second class, of Lone Tree, has been reported as missing at sea.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, May 5, 1942
Navy Issues First “Casualty” Lists
The Navy’s first official casualty list, issued on the 5th, contained the names of Arthur Anthony Bersch and David Alonzo Leedy.
This was the first of a series of “official reports” which came to next of kin during the month.
Another Navy casualty list on the 15th listed as “missing in action” Earl Hinman, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Hinman of Muscatine Island; Glen Allen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harlan Allen of Wapello; Charles Odle, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Odle of Wapello; and John D. Musser, jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Musser, sr. of Lone Tree.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, Dec. 30, 1942 (photo included)
John D. Musser, son of Mrs. Mary J. Musser of Lone Tree, was reported missing in action in a telegram received April 4, 1942, from the Navy department.
John enlisted in the U. S. Navy in December, 1936, and during his first enlistment period spent several months in Alaska. He re-enlisted for a two-year term of foreign service on July 5, 1939.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, December 30, 1943 (photo included)
LIST OF MISSING IN ACTION GREW IN 1944
Among those from this area who have been listed as missing in action in official dispatches to next of kin, and upon casualty lists of the armed services, are:
JOHN D. MUSSER, Machinist Mate, 2/c—the Journal of April 5, 1942, carried the story that John D. Musser, son of Mrs. Marcy J. Musser of Lone Tree, was listed as missing in action. He enlisted in December of 1938.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, Friday, December 29, 1944
Mrs. Musser Has Added Awards For War Victim
Lone Tree—Mrs. May Musser has received three more medals, awarded posthumously to her son, the late John D. Musser, Jr. From the chief of Naval personal have come the American Campaign, the Asiatic-Pacific and the Good Conduct medals.
John D. Musser, Jr., U. S. Navy was reported missing March 1, 1942, when the USS Langley sunk in the Asiatic-Pacific area. On Dec. 15, 1945, he was officially declared dead.
Since then posthumous awards of the Purple Heart, Certificate of Merit and two other medals, in addition to those received this week, have been made.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, August 4, 1948
John Dolson Musser, Jr. was born Jan. 19, 1917 to John D. and Mary Jeanetta Fountain Musser. He died Mar. 1, 1942/FOD Dec. 15, 1945 (lost at sea) and is memorialized in River Junction Cemetery, Lone Tree, IA and at the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.
John served in World War II with the U.S. Navy and died while serving aboard the USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) when that vessel was bombed by enemy planes and sank in the open sea south of Java. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Source: ancestry.com
