Joseph Milton JENKINS

Source : Andy (Ellen Marchese)

5 octobre 1922 Savannah Chatam County

GEORGIA

Parents :John & d'Essie Ducan Potts JENKINS

Siblings : John Carroll & Mary

Source : audieannie

 P-51 Mustang - type C-7-NT - s/n 42-103389 C5*M
"Geechee Gal"

Macr : 5108
Mission: Bomber escort on Soissons (02)
While attacking a flak battery near the aerodrome of Estrée-Mons, hit a line at HT around 7:30 pm

Explosion in flight

Takeoff station 373 Leiston, Suffolk

CEMETERY TEMPORARY of  -- N°--

Story of Cemetery Temporary  

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

Source : Andy

Joseph lived with his parents and brother and sister at 514 W Victory Drive in Savannah, he was 8 years old, his father worked at the railways.  In the resencement of 1940, he was still with his parents at 651 36 th Street still in the same city.  He joined Amstrong Junior College Flinning in 1941 and joined the 8th Air Force in 1942.

The 357th fighter group where it is formed is activated at Hamilton Field (California ) on December 16, 1942, the group begins its training on a P 39 Aircobra ( fighter aircraft ) at Tonopah ( Névada ). With the exception of some fighters, all pilots and personnel on the ground had recently left the air force schools.

In seven months, the 357th was ready to be transferred to a combat zone. Note that 14 men died during these trainings.

The 357 Fighter Group (fighter group) arrived in England in late 1943 at the beginning of 1944 and was engaged in combat on February 11, 1944.

On May 24, 1944 Lieutenant JENKINS takes off from Leiston station in Suffolk (England) in protection of a group of 70 to 80 bombers over the city of Soissons ( Dépt de l'Aisne )

He is shot down by the DCA during the attack of a battery that protected the aerodrome of Estrées-Mons where he hit a high voltage line, he crashes in Vraignes low street not far from the school. 

The Lieutenant is buried by the Germans in the cemetery of the commune, he will be buried in October 1945 in the American cemetery of Colleville sur Mer.

Note : Lieutenant JENKINS is the only pilot of this group to be buried at the cemetery of Colleville, he was friend with Captain Edward K. SIMPSON of the same hunting group which is buried to him at the American summit of Epinal ( Dépt des Vosges ).

Source : Andy

 Source : Andy

Source : HighPlainsMom

Joe on the left with the Armstrong Junior College Flying Club from the 1941 Armstrong JC Yearbook.

Source : JP Gentil

Source :  Backroad traveler