John Kyler Rhoads

Korean War
Service #AO-756701
Unit45 TAC RCN SQ 67 TAC RCN WING
RankCaptain U.S. Air Force
Entered Service From Illinois
Date of DeathJuly 27 1953
StatusMissing In Action
Memorialized
Courts of the Missing
Court
8
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Service Cross
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
For his leadership and valor, Captain Rhoads was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster the Air Medal with 19 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Notes

Captain Rhoads was the pilot of a RF-80A Lockheed Shooting Star photo reconnaissance aircraft with the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. On July 27, 1953, while on a combat mission near Taejon Airfield (K-5), South Korea, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, burst into flames destroying the tail section and crashed. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.