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name
KILIAN, James Knight - Date of
birth
12 July 1919 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Kansas -
Hometown
Dickinson County, Kansas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-2044831 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
332nd Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
5 November 1943 - Place of
death
North Sea, 300 yards off the coast of Haamstede, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 41 | 56 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Henry N. Kilian (father)
Florence E. (Knight) Kilian (mother)
Henry A. Kilian (brother)
Martha A. Kilian (sister)
John P. Kilian (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30166 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: You Cawnt Miss it
Destination: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard and the synthetic oil refineries
MACR: 1043
More information
James K. Kilian attended college and was a filling station attendant.He joined the National Guard in Kansas City, Missouri at 23 December 1940.
The following was written by Harry Slater formerly of the 94th Bomb Group:
"On November 5th, the 94th launched 32 aircraft to bomb the synthetic oil refineries northwest of Gelsenkirchen. Since the Ploesti oil production center had been bombed, this target was considered important to the German cause. Nineteen aircraft formed the lead group of the 1st Air Task Force.
Flak was light over the Dutch coast but became intense in the target area. Lt. James K. Killian and crew of the 332nd squadron in aircraft 42-30166 (You Cawn't Miss it) were observed under heavy attack. After a time, the aircraft exploded with one parachute blossoming out of the debris. Eight aircraft suffered minor flak damage".
Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner, eight were killed. The remains of S/Sgt Pauley were never recovered.
His body washed ashore near Renesse, The Netherlands on 9 December 1943.
This memorial is at Indian Hill Cemetery, Chapman, Dickinson County, Kansas where his parents and other members of the family are buried.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.ancestry.com - 1930 census / U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, www.findagrave.com - Connie Langvardt, www.angelfire.com/my/mighty8thlh/hodyost.html
Photo source: Jac Engels, Crew: Facebook 332nd Bomb Squad / Marc Benson, Arie-Jan van Hees - Pilot 42-K Luke Fd Arizona