During World War II, John Carder became a U.S. Army Air Forces ACE, credited with shooting down 7 enemy aircraft in aerial combat. He was shot down on a mission on 12 May 1944, and held as a Prisoner of War. He made two escape attempts, and was successful on his second effort, and returned to his unit. He was killed in an Air Crash between Fayetteville, Arkansas and New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 1, 1961.