He resided in Dade County, Florida prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on March 9, 1943 at Camp Blanding, Florida. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being Single, without dependents.
B-17G #43-38639 took off from Station 155 in England on a bombing mission to Kiel, Germany.
After completion of the mission and while returning to Station 155 B-17G #43-38210 collided into them and both B-17's crashed into the North Sea during the war.
It is believed that B-17G #43-38210 had suffered battle damage which caused the pilot, 1st Lt. Ritchie, to lose control of his B-17.
James was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash.
He was awarded the "Distinguished Flying Cross", Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart.
All nine airmen on his B-17 were declared "Missing".
Service # O-780230
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #43-38639:
Abernathy, Mercer G ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, TX
Bartlett, Robert E ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, PA
Cook, Charles J ~ Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, CA
Crimmins, Timothy E J ~ Capt, Pilot, GA
Dawidowicz, Milton ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, MD
Dodd, James E ~ 1st Lt, Bombardier, FL
Fitz Gerald, Robert D ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, MI
Murphy, James E ~ Capt, Co-Pilot, D.C.
Rapps, Oliver J ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, IA
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For airmen who perished on B-17G #43-38210 see:
Ritchie, Robert G ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Washington
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Bio & Crew Reports by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He resided in Dade County, Florida prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on March 9, 1943 at Camp Blanding, Florida. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being Single, without dependents.
B-17G #43-38639 took off from Station 155 in England on a bombing mission to Kiel, Germany.
After completion of the mission and while returning to Station 155 B-17G #43-38210 collided into them and both B-17's crashed into the North Sea during the war.
It is believed that B-17G #43-38210 had suffered battle damage which caused the pilot, 1st Lt. Ritchie, to lose control of his B-17.
James was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash.
He was awarded the "Distinguished Flying Cross", Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart.
All nine airmen on his B-17 were declared "Missing".
Service # O-780230
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17G #43-38639:
Abernathy, Mercer G ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, TX
Bartlett, Robert E ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, PA
Cook, Charles J ~ Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, CA
Crimmins, Timothy E J ~ Capt, Pilot, GA
Dawidowicz, Milton ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, MD
Dodd, James E ~ 1st Lt, Bombardier, FL
Fitz Gerald, Robert D ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, MI
Murphy, James E ~ Capt, Co-Pilot, D.C.
Rapps, Oliver J ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, IA
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For airmen who perished on B-17G #43-38210 see:
Ritchie, Robert G ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Washington
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Bio & Crew Reports by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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