John D. Foley
Encyclopedia
John D. Foley served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II
. He was the inspiration of the popular 1943 song "Johnny Got a Zero".
Foley enlisted in November 1941. 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. As the top turret gunner was injured, Foley became his replacement, despite having no aerial gunnery training.
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. He shot down an A6M Zero
, even though he had not even been taught how to use the gunsight. Two weeks later, he was credited with two more over Lae
. International News Service
war correspondent Pat Robinson wrote an article about him and dubbed him "Johnny Zero".
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. An a cappella
rendition by the Song Spinners, "Johnny Zero", stayed on Billboard
magazine's charts from June to August, peaking at #7. 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.
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). 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 with the 309th Bomber Squadron as a gunner in a B-24 Liberator
in only 60 days. He volunteered for a third tour of duty, but the war ended.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was the inspiration of the popular 1943 song "Johnny Got a Zero".
Foley enlisted in November 1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, 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
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
caught the attention of the bomber's pilot, Lieutenant Walter Krell. As the top turret gunner was injured, Foley became his replacement, despite having no aerial gunnery training.
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
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
on May 24, 1942. He shot down an A6M Zero
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
, even though he had not even been taught how to use the gunsight. Two weeks later, he was credited with two more over Lae
Lae
Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast...
. International News Service
International News Service
International News Service was a U.S.-based news agency founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.Established two years after the Scripps family founded the United Press Association, INS scrapped among the newswires...
war correspondent Pat Robinson wrote an article about him and dubbed him "Johnny Zero".
The song "Johnny Got a Zero" was released as sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
in 1943, lyrics by Mack David
Mack David
Mack David was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning from the early 1940s through the early 1970s. Mack was credited with writing lyrics and/or music for over one thousand songs...
and music by Vee Lawnhurst, and topped out at #4 on the Variety list for the week of April 28. An a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
rendition by the Song Spinners, "Johnny Zero", stayed on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine's charts from June to August, peaking at #7. 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.
Foley flew on 31 more missions in the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, sharing credit for at least six confirmed victories and surviving three crashes (in the second, he was the sole survivor). After contracting malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, 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 with the 309th Bomber Squadron as a gunner in a B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
in only 60 days. He volunteered for a third tour of duty, but the war ended.