John Joseph Allen
Service No.: 31183264
Ship Assignment: USS LST-507
ABMC Memorial Page: Click Here
John Joseph Allen was born on March 1, 1921, in Providence, Rhode Island, to his mother Emma Allen. Educated through grammar school and one year of high school, John began working Brown & Sharpe Inc., in Promanade St., Providence, a long-time maker of machine tools and precision instruments, before answering the call to serve his country during World War II.
Military Service
On June 29, 1942, John registered for military service and was officially enlisted into the United States Army on October 21, 1942, in his hometown of Providence. Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing just over 160 pounds, John is recorded as having blue eyes, brown hair, and a fair complexion.
Rising to the rank of Technician Fifth Class, John was assigned to the 478th Amphibious Truck Company, part of the 24th Amphibian Truck Battalion within the 1st Engineer Special Brigade. His unit departed New York aboard a troop ship on August 5, 1943, arriving in England on August 17 and later stationed at Counsell’s Camp, Cornwall, as preparations for the D-Day invasion intensified.
During Exercise Tiger, a full-scale rehearsal for the Normandy landings, John’s company embarked aboard LST-507 departing Plymouth for Brixham. In the early hours of April 28, 1944, while navigating Lyme Bay as part of Convoy T-4, LST-507 came under attack by German E-boats. The assault resulted in the sinking of LST-507 and another ship, causing significant loss of life. Technician Fifth Class John J. Allen was reported missing in action and subsequently declared dead, lost at sea, aged just 23.
John’s sacrifice was deeply mourned by his mother Emma and sister Mary Elizabeth back home in Providence. His dedication and bravery during World War II remain a testament to his commitment to serving his country with honour.
Honours and Memorials
Technician Fifth Class, John J. Allen was awarded a Purple Heart.
John J. Allen is commemorated on the Tablets of the Missing at the American Battle Monuments Commission Cemetery and Memorial, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
He is also commemorated with a memorial headstone in Arlington National Cemetery, section Mf, plot 6.
