Early in his life, James W Welch, was known as ‘Sonny’ to family and friends. He was born in Eau Gallie FL to James W Welch Sr and Ethel Lillian Nesbitt Welch. His family moved to St Augustine when Jim and his younger sister, Marian, were children. Jim was a graduate of St Augustine’s Ketterlinus High School in 1938. Jim went to college at the University of FL in Gainesville where there was an Army ROTC Program. It was at University of FL that Jim began flying.
When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Jim, like many men of that time, enlisted in the military. He was sent to Maxwell AFB in Montgomery AL for pre-flight training. He then went to primary flight training and to the Columbus Army Flying School for advanced flight training. He graduated on 9 Oct 1942 and was commissioned into the Army Air Corps.
Jim was assigned to the 376th Bomb Group Heavy, 512th Bomb Squadron Heavy in Africa where he flew B-24s in 36 missions. He flew with the crew of "Doodlebug". The Doodlebug crew flew A B-24D on the 1 Aug 1943 mission to bomb the Ploesti oil fields in Romania.
1Lt James E. McAtee Pilot
1Lt. James W. Welch Co Pilot
1st/Lt. Robert J. Johnson Navigator
2nd/Lt. Israel Soloff Bombardier
T/Sgt.Kenneth W. Smith Engineer
T/Sgt. William G. Jordan Radio Op.
S/Sgt. Libert T. Hurt Tail Gunner
S/Sgt. Murray L. Heckert Gunner
S/Sgt. Joseph E. Tamuleircz Engineer and Waist Gunner
Photo of crew is shown on the next page.
After his missions in Africa, he returned to the states and became an instructor pilot for B-24s and B-17s at Biggs Field in El Paso TX. From there he went to training on the B-29 and was sent to the Pacific and assigned to the 314th Bomb Wing, 39th Bomb Goup, 60th Bomb Squadron where he flew 23 missions from Guam. After WWII, he served with the 98th Bomb Group, 344th Bomb Squadron in Japan during the Korean War. Jim remained in the Air Force, was stationed at Pine Castle AFB in FL and Plattsburgh AFB in NY where he flew B-47s under SAC during the Cold War.
He flew with a B-47 Crew at Plattsburgh AFB:
Crew members:
LTC James W. Welch AC
Capt George R Mougenel Pilot
Maj Ruben L Arce Navigator
Photo of crew is shown on the next page.
Jim eventually was transferred to Hunter Field in Savannah GA where he flew C-124s. His last assignment was at Hickham AFB in Honolulu. He retired in Honolulu in January of 1970 and lived out his life in what was paradise for him.
An almost life long interest for Jim was being a HAM radio operator. His interest started when he was in school and continued as long as he was able to use his radios. He especially loved building radios and talking to people all over the world. Two of his former call signs were: K2SDR and KH6HEP.
Jim was a competitive swimmer most of his life. He served as a life guard when he was a student in St Augustine FL. He was a member of the undefeated University of FL swimming team for three years after high school. Jim later swam for an Air Force team when he was stationed in Japan. He was inducted into the Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame for Masters Swimming in 2002. In 2003, he was honored for the 2003 Channel and Ocean Swim. Jim continued to enjoy competitive swimming into his mid and late 80s.
Jim Welch is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 17 years, his two children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, a niece and a nephew.
"Long after we have said our good-byes...our hearts will remember."
When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Jim, like many men of that time, enlisted in the military. He was sent to Maxwell AFB in Montgomery AL for pre-flight training. He then went to primary flight training and to the Columbus Army Flying School for advanced flight training. He graduated on 9 Oct 1942 and was commissioned into the Army Air Corps.
Jim was assigned to the 376th Bomb Group Heavy, 512th Bomb Squadron Heavy in Africa where he flew B-24s in 36 missions. He flew with the crew of "Doodlebug". The Doodlebug crew flew A B-24D on the 1 Aug 1943 mission to bomb the Ploesti oil fields in Romania.
1Lt James E. McAtee Pilot
1Lt. James W. Welch Co Pilot
1st/Lt. Robert J. Johnson Navigator
2nd/Lt. Israel Soloff Bombardier
T/Sgt.Kenneth W. Smith Engineer
T/Sgt. William G. Jordan Radio Op.
S/Sgt. Libert T. Hurt Tail Gunner
S/Sgt. Murray L. Heckert Gunner
S/Sgt. Joseph E. Tamuleircz Engineer and Waist Gunner
Photo of crew is shown on the next page.
After his missions in Africa, he returned to the states and became an instructor pilot for B-24s and B-17s at Biggs Field in El Paso TX. From there he went to training on the B-29 and was sent to the Pacific and assigned to the 314th Bomb Wing, 39th Bomb Goup, 60th Bomb Squadron where he flew 23 missions from Guam. After WWII, he served with the 98th Bomb Group, 344th Bomb Squadron in Japan during the Korean War. Jim remained in the Air Force, was stationed at Pine Castle AFB in FL and Plattsburgh AFB in NY where he flew B-47s under SAC during the Cold War.
He flew with a B-47 Crew at Plattsburgh AFB:
Crew members:
LTC James W. Welch AC
Capt George R Mougenel Pilot
Maj Ruben L Arce Navigator
Photo of crew is shown on the next page.
Jim eventually was transferred to Hunter Field in Savannah GA where he flew C-124s. His last assignment was at Hickham AFB in Honolulu. He retired in Honolulu in January of 1970 and lived out his life in what was paradise for him.
An almost life long interest for Jim was being a HAM radio operator. His interest started when he was in school and continued as long as he was able to use his radios. He especially loved building radios and talking to people all over the world. Two of his former call signs were: K2SDR and KH6HEP.
Jim was a competitive swimmer most of his life. He served as a life guard when he was a student in St Augustine FL. He was a member of the undefeated University of FL swimming team for three years after high school. Jim later swam for an Air Force team when he was stationed in Japan. He was inducted into the Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame for Masters Swimming in 2002. In 2003, he was honored for the 2003 Channel and Ocean Swim. Jim continued to enjoy competitive swimming into his mid and late 80s.
Jim Welch is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 17 years, his two children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, a niece and a nephew.
"Long after we have said our good-byes...our hearts will remember."
Early in his life, James W Welch, was known as ‘Sonny’ to family and friends. He was born in Eau Gallie FL to James W Welch Sr and Ethel Lillian Nesbitt Welch. His family moved to St Augustine when Jim and his younger sister, Marian, were children. Jim was a graduate of St Augustine’s Ketterlinus High School in 1938. Jim went to college at the University of FL in Gainesville where there was an Army ROTC Program. It was at University of FL that Jim began flying.
When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Jim, like many men of that time, enlisted in the military. He was sent to Maxwell AFB in Montgomery AL for pre-flight training. He then went to primary flight training and to the Columbus Army Flying School for advanced flight training. He graduated on 9 Oct 1942 and was commissioned into the Army Air Corps.
Jim was assigned to the 376th Bomb Group Heavy, 512th Bomb Squadron Heavy in Africa where he flew B-24s in 36 missions. He flew with the crew of "Doodlebug". The Doodlebug crew flew A B-24D on the 1 Aug 1943 mission to bomb the Ploesti oil fields in Romania.
1Lt James E. McAtee Pilot
1Lt. James W. Welch Co Pilot
1st/Lt. Robert J. Johnson Navigator
2nd/Lt. Israel Soloff Bombardier
T/Sgt.Kenneth W. Smith Engineer
T/Sgt. William G. Jordan Radio Op.
S/Sgt. Libert T. Hurt Tail Gunner
S/Sgt. Murray L. Heckert Gunner
S/Sgt. Joseph E. Tamuleircz Engineer and Waist Gunner
Photo of crew is shown on the next page.
After his missions in Africa, he returned to the states and became an instructor pilot for B-24s and B-17s at Biggs Field in El Paso TX. From there he went to training on the B-29 and was sent to the Pacific and assigned to the 314th Bomb Wing, 39th Bomb Goup, 60th Bomb Squadron where he flew 23 missions from Guam. After WWII, he served with the 98th Bomb Group, 344th Bomb Squadron in Japan during the Korean War. Jim remained in the Air Force, was stationed at Pine Castle AFB in FL and Plattsburgh AFB in NY where he flew B-47s under SAC during the Cold War.
He flew with a B-47 Crew at Plattsburgh AFB:
Crew members:
LTC James W. Welch AC
Capt George R Mougenel Pilot
Maj Ruben L Arce Navigator
Photo of crew is shown on the next page.
Jim eventually was transferred to Hunter Field in Savannah GA where he flew C-124s. His last assignment was at Hickham AFB in Honolulu. He retired in Honolulu in January of 1970 and lived out his life in what was paradise for him.
An almost life long interest for Jim was being a HAM radio operator. His interest started when he was in school and continued as long as he was able to use his radios. He especially loved building radios and talking to people all over the world. Two of his former call signs were: K2SDR and KH6HEP.
Jim was a competitive swimmer most of his life. He served as a life guard when he was a student in St Augustine FL. He was a member of the undefeated University of FL swimming team for three years after high school. Jim later swam for an Air Force team when he was stationed in Japan. He was inducted into the Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame for Masters Swimming in 2002. In 2003, he was honored for the 2003 Channel and Ocean Swim. Jim continued to enjoy competitive swimming into his mid and late 80s.
Jim Welch is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 17 years, his two children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, a niece and a nephew.
"Long after we have said our good-byes...our hearts will remember."
When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Jim, like many men of that time, enlisted in the military. He was sent to Maxwell AFB in Montgomery AL for pre-flight training. He then went to primary flight training and to the Columbus Army Flying School for advanced flight training. He graduated on 9 Oct 1942 and was commissioned into the Army Air Corps.
Jim was assigned to the 376th Bomb Group Heavy, 512th Bomb Squadron Heavy in Africa where he flew B-24s in 36 missions. He flew with the crew of "Doodlebug". The Doodlebug crew flew A B-24D on the 1 Aug 1943 mission to bomb the Ploesti oil fields in Romania.
1Lt James E. McAtee Pilot
1Lt. James W. Welch Co Pilot
1st/Lt. Robert J. Johnson Navigator
2nd/Lt. Israel Soloff Bombardier
T/Sgt.Kenneth W. Smith Engineer
T/Sgt. William G. Jordan Radio Op.
S/Sgt. Libert T. Hurt Tail Gunner
S/Sgt. Murray L. Heckert Gunner
S/Sgt. Joseph E. Tamuleircz Engineer and Waist Gunner
Photo of crew is shown on the next page.
After his missions in Africa, he returned to the states and became an instructor pilot for B-24s and B-17s at Biggs Field in El Paso TX. From there he went to training on the B-29 and was sent to the Pacific and assigned to the 314th Bomb Wing, 39th Bomb Goup, 60th Bomb Squadron where he flew 23 missions from Guam. After WWII, he served with the 98th Bomb Group, 344th Bomb Squadron in Japan during the Korean War. Jim remained in the Air Force, was stationed at Pine Castle AFB in FL and Plattsburgh AFB in NY where he flew B-47s under SAC during the Cold War.
He flew with a B-47 Crew at Plattsburgh AFB:
Crew members:
LTC James W. Welch AC
Capt George R Mougenel Pilot
Maj Ruben L Arce Navigator
Photo of crew is shown on the next page.
Jim eventually was transferred to Hunter Field in Savannah GA where he flew C-124s. His last assignment was at Hickham AFB in Honolulu. He retired in Honolulu in January of 1970 and lived out his life in what was paradise for him.
An almost life long interest for Jim was being a HAM radio operator. His interest started when he was in school and continued as long as he was able to use his radios. He especially loved building radios and talking to people all over the world. Two of his former call signs were: K2SDR and KH6HEP.
Jim was a competitive swimmer most of his life. He served as a life guard when he was a student in St Augustine FL. He was a member of the undefeated University of FL swimming team for three years after high school. Jim later swam for an Air Force team when he was stationed in Japan. He was inducted into the Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame for Masters Swimming in 2002. In 2003, he was honored for the 2003 Channel and Ocean Swim. Jim continued to enjoy competitive swimming into his mid and late 80s.
Jim Welch is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 17 years, his two children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, a niece and a nephew.
"Long after we have said our good-byes...our hearts will remember."
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