John Kuipers was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Kuipers. He had a half-brother named Walter Nunnelly and a brother Harry Kruipers.  John was born in Paterson, New Jersey.  He lived in Montana most of his life.  However, his family moved to Oregon in 1936, and they settled into a home at 434 East Grant St. in Lebanon, Oregon in 1938.  John graduated from the Lebanon High School.  At the time he enlisted in 1942, he was working for the Boeing Corporation in Seattle, Washington.  
John was a waist gunner and aerial photographer on a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed the Lucky 13.  On 23 March 1944, the Lucky 13 was brought down by enemy aircraft while on a mission to bomb Brunswick, Germany and it crashed 6 miles East of Vechta, Germany.  Another member of the crew, William Griffith is also buried at the Ardennes American Cemetery.
John’s half-brother Walter died at Baatan in the Philippines on 31 July 1942 and is buried at the Manilla American Cemetery.  After the death of his two brothers, his brother Harry was honorably discharged from the service and returned home.
Information from 

• Daily Capital Journal, 29 September 1944 p5
• Lebanon Express, 28 September 1944 p1
• Daily Capital Journal, 22 April 1944 p10
• Lebanon Express, 20 April 1944 p1
• Lebanon Express, 28 December 1944 p1
• Lebanon Union High School Yearbook of 1938
  All provided by Erwin Der Haag.
  Plus, MACR 3342