Sgt. James R. Mathewson, 42nd Bomb Squad Army Air Corp.
Born Jan. 25, 1920 at Durand, Mich. Nephew of Mr. & Mrs. C.K. Bert. Entered service Sept. 5. 1940. Missing in Action, Solomon Islands, Sept. 24, 1942. Declared dead Jan. 7, 1946.
Mathewson served with the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. On September 24, 1942 he was bombardier on B-17E #41-2420, nicknamed 'Bessie the Jap Basher' along with three other bombers against surface ships at Shortland harbor in the Solomon Islands. They seriously damaged a cargo ship, then came under attack from about twenty Zero fighters. Mathewson's plane took damage and was last seen descending to sea level with fighters pursuing it. The pilot managed to keep it in the air for 290 miles before finally ditching it off Domo Cove at Guadalcanal.
At least two of the crew (the pilot Captain Charles E Norton and gunner Sgt Bruce Osborne) managed to make it to shore but both later died. The plane's wreckage was located by US forces in 1944 and no bodies were aboard. The fate of the rest of the crew was never determined, and they were all officially declared dead January 7, 1946.
Mathewson received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. Because his body was not recovered, his name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Born Jan. 25, 1920 at Durand, Mich. Nephew of Mr. & Mrs. C.K. Bert. Entered service Sept. 5. 1940. Missing in Action, Solomon Islands, Sept. 24, 1942. Declared dead Jan. 7, 1946.
Mathewson served with the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. On September 24, 1942 he was bombardier on B-17E #41-2420, nicknamed 'Bessie the Jap Basher' along with three other bombers against surface ships at Shortland harbor in the Solomon Islands. They seriously damaged a cargo ship, then came under attack from about twenty Zero fighters. Mathewson's plane took damage and was last seen descending to sea level with fighters pursuing it. The pilot managed to keep it in the air for 290 miles before finally ditching it off Domo Cove at Guadalcanal.
At least two of the crew (the pilot Captain Charles E Norton and gunner Sgt Bruce Osborne) managed to make it to shore but both later died. The plane's wreckage was located by US forces in 1944 and no bodies were aboard. The fate of the rest of the crew was never determined, and they were all officially declared dead January 7, 1946.
Mathewson received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. Because his body was not recovered, his name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Sgt. James R. Mathewson, 42nd Bomb Squad Army Air Corp.
Born Jan. 25, 1920 at Durand, Mich. Nephew of Mr. & Mrs. C.K. Bert. Entered service Sept. 5. 1940. Missing in Action, Solomon Islands, Sept. 24, 1942. Declared dead Jan. 7, 1946.
Mathewson served with the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. On September 24, 1942 he was bombardier on B-17E #41-2420, nicknamed 'Bessie the Jap Basher' along with three other bombers against surface ships at Shortland harbor in the Solomon Islands. They seriously damaged a cargo ship, then came under attack from about twenty Zero fighters. Mathewson's plane took damage and was last seen descending to sea level with fighters pursuing it. The pilot managed to keep it in the air for 290 miles before finally ditching it off Domo Cove at Guadalcanal.
At least two of the crew (the pilot Captain Charles E Norton and gunner Sgt Bruce Osborne) managed to make it to shore but both later died. The plane's wreckage was located by US forces in 1944 and no bodies were aboard. The fate of the rest of the crew was never determined, and they were all officially declared dead January 7, 1946.
Mathewson received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. Because his body was not recovered, his name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Born Jan. 25, 1920 at Durand, Mich. Nephew of Mr. & Mrs. C.K. Bert. Entered service Sept. 5. 1940. Missing in Action, Solomon Islands, Sept. 24, 1942. Declared dead Jan. 7, 1946.
Mathewson served with the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bombardment Squadron. On September 24, 1942 he was bombardier on B-17E #41-2420, nicknamed 'Bessie the Jap Basher' along with three other bombers against surface ships at Shortland harbor in the Solomon Islands. They seriously damaged a cargo ship, then came under attack from about twenty Zero fighters. Mathewson's plane took damage and was last seen descending to sea level with fighters pursuing it. The pilot managed to keep it in the air for 290 miles before finally ditching it off Domo Cove at Guadalcanal.
At least two of the crew (the pilot Captain Charles E Norton and gunner Sgt Bruce Osborne) managed to make it to shore but both later died. The plane's wreckage was located by US forces in 1944 and no bodies were aboard. The fate of the rest of the crew was never determined, and they were all officially declared dead January 7, 1946.
Mathewson received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. Because his body was not recovered, his name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
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