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name
FARNUM, James Starr - Date of
birth
26 May 1903 -
Age
40 -
Place of birth
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
33325122 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
524th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
12 August 1943 - Place of
death
Near Lindlar, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 16 | 13 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Edward S. W. Farnum (father)
Ellen M. (Starr) Farnum (mother)
Ralph Farnum (brother)
Edward S. H. Farnum (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-3199 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Calamity Jane
Destination: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of synthetic oil installations
MACR: 905
More information
S/Sgt James S. Farnum earned a bachelor's degree in 1925 and a law degree in 1931 from the University of Pennsylvania.He enlisted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 30 July 1942.
S/Sgt Farnum was a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. At the outbreak of the war, he withdrew from law practice. After his induction in the Army Air Corps in May 1942, he requested active service and was sent overseas in May 1943. He took part in 10 raids over Europe.
After having dropped its load of bombs on Gelsenkirchen and got through exceptionally heavy flak over the target area, the plane was heavily attacked by enemy fighters. It crashed in a field on a hillside outside the little town of Lindlar. Some records show the plane was shot down by flak.
Six men parachuted to safety, five men were killed.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census, www.fold3.com, WWII Draft Card, The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 1941/June 1944
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 1941/June 1944