John Bussey Byrn was born on October 25, 1919 in Timpson, Texas to parents William Mike Byrn and Ben Aline Bussey.  He had at least one sibling, William Patrick Byrn.  John graduated from Timpson High School in 1936.  He was 2nd Lt. in the Army Air Corp and served in World War II.  He died on August 24, 1943.  We believed he was KIA during World War II.  He was one day short of his 24th birthday.  He was laid ot rest in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Timpson.

Courtesy of Larry Hume.
Born in Shelby County, Texas to Benn Aline Bussey and William Mike Byrn. He graduated from Timpson High School with the class of 1936 and Baylor University 1941.  

In January 1942, John enlisted in the Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet and after 11 months of intensive pilot training he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant at Foster Field, Victoria Texas and received his silver pilot wings. He then was sent to Dale Mabry Field, Tallahassee Florida for advanced fighter pilot training. In late February 1943, he had a few days reunion with his family in Timpson and departed for North Africa where he was assigned to the 347 Fighter Squadron, 350 Fighter Group, Taher, Algeria flying P-39 fighters. On August 24, 1943 Lieutenant Byrn took off from his home base piloting P-39 N1 #42-18331 on a patrol mission in search for a dinghy that was adrift at sea. After spotting the dinghy, Lt. Byrn made contact with an Australian Wellington Aircraft that was also searching and signaled them to follow him. He then made a sharp left turn apparently misjudging his height and crashed into the sea. The Wellington searched the area for an hour, but wreckage was never spotted and Lt. Byrn remains missing in action. The dinghy with three German airmen who had previously been shot down was recovered. His name is inscribed on the Wall of the Missing at the North Africa American Cemetery and memorial, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia. His family also placed a memorial marker for him in Woodlawn Cemetery, Timpson, Texas where they too are buried along with his brother W. Pat and sister Peggy. Day is done, God is nigh.