James Franklin Cross was born 28 Dec 1923 to Lucille Elliott and James Warren Cross, being raised in Memphis Tennessee. According to the 1940 Census James was 16 and a High School sophomore, with one older sister Mary Frances in her High School junior year.
On 7 October 1942 James enlisted in the Army Air Forces with the original Army Serial Number (ASN): 14166921, rapidly assigned to the Aviation Cadet program. Upon completion of pilot training James was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and selected for deployment to the European Theater of Operations.
James was assigned to the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force operating from RAF Raydon (USAAF Station 157). Over time James was promoted to 1st Lieutenant with combat mission experience.
The overall 8th Air Force 27 November 1944 mission for this day is recorded as follows:
"MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 727: 530 bombers and 770 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on marshalling yards in Germany and fighter-bomber strikes on 4 oil centers in N and C Germany; they claim 102-4-12 aircraft; 15 fighters are lost:
1. 148 of 190 B-17s hit the Bingen marshalling yard; 2 others hit targets of opportunity; 46 bombers are damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. Escorting are 91 of 95 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
2. 181 of 186 B-17s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 1 hits Freiburg; 14 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA. Escorting are 105 of 107 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
3. 144 of 154 B-24s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 7 others hit targets of opportunity; 9 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 45 of 48 P-51s without loss.
4. 460 P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against oil targets in N and C Germany; about 750 Luftwaffe fighters, the largest sighting to date, attack in the Magdeburg-Munster-Hannover areas when the Germans mistake the fighters for a heavy bomber formation; the AAF claims 98-4-11 aircraft in the air and 4-0-1 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 10 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA)."
Item #4 was the primary mission for the 353rd FG a fighter/bomber mission specifically to a fuel depot at Annaburg, Germany. James was flying 44-15388, P51D-20-NA named “Stasia” the personal aircraft of Lt. Anthony R. Rosatone, named after Rosatone's girlfriend.
Apparently prior to reaching this Annaburg target the group was engaged by a superior number of Luftwaffe aircraft in the vicinity of Magdeburg, Germany resulting in the group being separated during individual aerial combat encounters. After this initial encounter the group started to reform at a higher altitude of 27,000 ft. diving on the enemy aircraft to engage again. During this second encounter James was apparently shot down by enemy aircraft but no pilot in the 353 group actually witnessed this event. The aircraft James was flying crashed about a half mile east of Altenau, Harz, Germany, approximate coordinates 51.731561, 13.028286. The body of 1st Lt Cross was initially interred at a local cemetery at Altenau, Germany; postwar re-interred Memphis, Tennessee.
Sadly, as yet no individual photo of 1st Lt. James Franklin Cross has surfaced.
Sources: see photo caption.
Bio provided by Find A Grave contributor Vindicator I. May thanks!
On 7 October 1942 James enlisted in the Army Air Forces with the original Army Serial Number (ASN): 14166921, rapidly assigned to the Aviation Cadet program. Upon completion of pilot training James was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and selected for deployment to the European Theater of Operations.
James was assigned to the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force operating from RAF Raydon (USAAF Station 157). Over time James was promoted to 1st Lieutenant with combat mission experience.
The overall 8th Air Force 27 November 1944 mission for this day is recorded as follows:
"MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 727: 530 bombers and 770 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on marshalling yards in Germany and fighter-bomber strikes on 4 oil centers in N and C Germany; they claim 102-4-12 aircraft; 15 fighters are lost:
1. 148 of 190 B-17s hit the Bingen marshalling yard; 2 others hit targets of opportunity; 46 bombers are damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. Escorting are 91 of 95 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
2. 181 of 186 B-17s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 1 hits Freiburg; 14 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA. Escorting are 105 of 107 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
3. 144 of 154 B-24s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 7 others hit targets of opportunity; 9 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 45 of 48 P-51s without loss.
4. 460 P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against oil targets in N and C Germany; about 750 Luftwaffe fighters, the largest sighting to date, attack in the Magdeburg-Munster-Hannover areas when the Germans mistake the fighters for a heavy bomber formation; the AAF claims 98-4-11 aircraft in the air and 4-0-1 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 10 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA)."
Item #4 was the primary mission for the 353rd FG a fighter/bomber mission specifically to a fuel depot at Annaburg, Germany. James was flying 44-15388, P51D-20-NA named “Stasia” the personal aircraft of Lt. Anthony R. Rosatone, named after Rosatone's girlfriend.
Apparently prior to reaching this Annaburg target the group was engaged by a superior number of Luftwaffe aircraft in the vicinity of Magdeburg, Germany resulting in the group being separated during individual aerial combat encounters. After this initial encounter the group started to reform at a higher altitude of 27,000 ft. diving on the enemy aircraft to engage again. During this second encounter James was apparently shot down by enemy aircraft but no pilot in the 353 group actually witnessed this event. The aircraft James was flying crashed about a half mile east of Altenau, Harz, Germany, approximate coordinates 51.731561, 13.028286. The body of 1st Lt Cross was initially interred at a local cemetery at Altenau, Germany; postwar re-interred Memphis, Tennessee.
Sadly, as yet no individual photo of 1st Lt. James Franklin Cross has surfaced.
Sources: see photo caption.
Bio provided by Find A Grave contributor Vindicator I. May thanks!
James Franklin Cross was born 28 Dec 1923 to Lucille Elliott and James Warren Cross, being raised in Memphis Tennessee. According to the 1940 Census James was 16 and a High School sophomore, with one older sister Mary Frances in her High School junior year.
On 7 October 1942 James enlisted in the Army Air Forces with the original Army Serial Number (ASN): 14166921, rapidly assigned to the Aviation Cadet program. Upon completion of pilot training James was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and selected for deployment to the European Theater of Operations.
James was assigned to the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force operating from RAF Raydon (USAAF Station 157). Over time James was promoted to 1st Lieutenant with combat mission experience.
The overall 8th Air Force 27 November 1944 mission for this day is recorded as follows:
"MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 727: 530 bombers and 770 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on marshalling yards in Germany and fighter-bomber strikes on 4 oil centers in N and C Germany; they claim 102-4-12 aircraft; 15 fighters are lost:
1. 148 of 190 B-17s hit the Bingen marshalling yard; 2 others hit targets of opportunity; 46 bombers are damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. Escorting are 91 of 95 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
2. 181 of 186 B-17s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 1 hits Freiburg; 14 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA. Escorting are 105 of 107 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
3. 144 of 154 B-24s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 7 others hit targets of opportunity; 9 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 45 of 48 P-51s without loss.
4. 460 P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against oil targets in N and C Germany; about 750 Luftwaffe fighters, the largest sighting to date, attack in the Magdeburg-Munster-Hannover areas when the Germans mistake the fighters for a heavy bomber formation; the AAF claims 98-4-11 aircraft in the air and 4-0-1 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 10 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA)."
Item #4 was the primary mission for the 353rd FG a fighter/bomber mission specifically to a fuel depot at Annaburg, Germany. James was flying 44-15388, P51D-20-NA named “Stasia” the personal aircraft of Lt. Anthony R. Rosatone, named after Rosatone's girlfriend.
Apparently prior to reaching this Annaburg target the group was engaged by a superior number of Luftwaffe aircraft in the vicinity of Magdeburg, Germany resulting in the group being separated during individual aerial combat encounters. After this initial encounter the group started to reform at a higher altitude of 27,000 ft. diving on the enemy aircraft to engage again. During this second encounter James was apparently shot down by enemy aircraft but no pilot in the 353 group actually witnessed this event. The aircraft James was flying crashed about a half mile east of Altenau, Harz, Germany, approximate coordinates 51.731561, 13.028286. The body of 1st Lt Cross was initially interred at a local cemetery at Altenau, Germany; postwar re-interred Memphis, Tennessee.
Sadly, as yet no individual photo of 1st Lt. James Franklin Cross has surfaced.
Sources: see photo caption.
Bio provided by Find A Grave contributor Vindicator I. May thanks!
On 7 October 1942 James enlisted in the Army Air Forces with the original Army Serial Number (ASN): 14166921, rapidly assigned to the Aviation Cadet program. Upon completion of pilot training James was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and selected for deployment to the European Theater of Operations.
James was assigned to the 352nd Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force operating from RAF Raydon (USAAF Station 157). Over time James was promoted to 1st Lieutenant with combat mission experience.
The overall 8th Air Force 27 November 1944 mission for this day is recorded as follows:
"MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 727: 530 bombers and 770 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on marshalling yards in Germany and fighter-bomber strikes on 4 oil centers in N and C Germany; they claim 102-4-12 aircraft; 15 fighters are lost:
1. 148 of 190 B-17s hit the Bingen marshalling yard; 2 others hit targets of opportunity; 46 bombers are damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. Escorting are 91 of 95 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
2. 181 of 186 B-17s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 1 hits Freiburg; 14 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA. Escorting are 105 of 107 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
3. 144 of 154 B-24s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 7 others hit targets of opportunity; 9 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 45 of 48 P-51s without loss.
4. 460 P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against oil targets in N and C Germany; about 750 Luftwaffe fighters, the largest sighting to date, attack in the Magdeburg-Munster-Hannover areas when the Germans mistake the fighters for a heavy bomber formation; the AAF claims 98-4-11 aircraft in the air and 4-0-1 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 10 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA)."
Item #4 was the primary mission for the 353rd FG a fighter/bomber mission specifically to a fuel depot at Annaburg, Germany. James was flying 44-15388, P51D-20-NA named “Stasia” the personal aircraft of Lt. Anthony R. Rosatone, named after Rosatone's girlfriend.
Apparently prior to reaching this Annaburg target the group was engaged by a superior number of Luftwaffe aircraft in the vicinity of Magdeburg, Germany resulting in the group being separated during individual aerial combat encounters. After this initial encounter the group started to reform at a higher altitude of 27,000 ft. diving on the enemy aircraft to engage again. During this second encounter James was apparently shot down by enemy aircraft but no pilot in the 353 group actually witnessed this event. The aircraft James was flying crashed about a half mile east of Altenau, Harz, Germany, approximate coordinates 51.731561, 13.028286. The body of 1st Lt Cross was initially interred at a local cemetery at Altenau, Germany; postwar re-interred Memphis, Tennessee.
Sadly, as yet no individual photo of 1st Lt. James Franklin Cross has surfaced.
Sources: see photo caption.
Bio provided by Find A Grave contributor Vindicator I. May thanks!
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