James O JONES Jr
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| ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | O 661841 (18065443) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AGE | 24 yo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 9, 1919 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| STATE | Comanche County TEXAS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FAMILY | Single | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RANK | First Lieutenant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FONCTION | Waist Gunner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| JOB before ENLISTEMENT | Baggage Porter |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DATE of ENLISTEMENT | 10 november 1941 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SQUADRON | 369th Bomber Squadron | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GROUP | 306th Bomber Group, Heavy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ARMY | 8th Air Force | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DATE OF DEATH | 7 january 1943 |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| STATUS | KIA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PLACE OF DEATH | In sea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DATA PLAN | B-17 F (# 41-24469)  Mission: St Nazaire Submarine Take off: Station 111 de Thurleigh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CEMETERY | BRITTANY AMERICAN CEMETERY de St James | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| DECORATION |
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| STORY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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James served as a 1st Lieutenant and Waist Gunner on B-17F (#41-24469), 367th Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Comanche County, Texas prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on November 10, 1941, prior to the war, in Dallas, Texas. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Baggage Porter and also as Single, without dependents. James was declared "Missing In Action" off England (see story below) during the war and was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. Service # 11029603 It is unknown why a 1st Lieutenant was serving as a Waist Gunner. It isn't normal, but not unheard of and he must have volunteered for the duty due to a problem with the original waist gunner.
Article: The plane took off on January 3, 1943 from Thurleight RAF Base, England for and attack on the U-Boots yard at St. Nazaire, France. On the return flight the plane was forced to land at RAF station at St. Eval, Cornwall, England. They took off again on January 7, 1943 to return to Thurleight but the weather closed in and Lt. Brandon was forced to return to St. Eval. Brandon made one landing attempt but was forced to overshoot, pulled up and make another attempt. They were never seen or heard of again. An extensive sea search, in which the RAF lost 2 planes, was conducted to located any trace of plane or crew but was never found |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SOURCE INFORMATION AND PHOTO | Abmc.gov - Honorstates.org - Findagrave.com - Americanairmuseum.com - Information USAAF Class Book Project ABMC American By Arie-Jan VAN HEES - Jean-François PELLOUAIS - Aad.archives.gov - Valentin GASCHER |
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| PROGRAMMER | Frédéric & Renaud |