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Personal info

Full name
HELMS, James Lamar
Date of birth
22 September 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
Hartford, Geneva County, Alabama
Hometown
Hartford, Geneva County, Alabama

Military service

Service number
14153911
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner
Unit
566th Bombardment Squadron,
389th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
7 April 1945
Place of death
Soltau, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 10 18

Immediate family

Members
William S. Helms (father)
Myrtle Helms (mother)
Geraldine Helms (sister)
William S. Helms (brother)
Margaret Helms (sister)
Julius Helms (brother)
Joe Helms (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
44-49533
Data
Type: B-24L
Destination: Geesthacht, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the explosives plant
MACR: 13892

More information

An ME-109 attacked from about 6 O’clock high, pulled up over the formation, and then made a tight turn and dove on the lead aircraft. Aircraft 44-49533 was flying as deputy lead of the Group. The ME-109 did off the lead ship and crashed into the deputy lead hitting it at about the cockpit. Aircraft 44-49533 peeled off to the right and had n° 1 propeller knocked off and n° 4 engine on fire. No parachutes were seen from this aircraft.

Two crew members were taken prisoner, nine were killed.

T/Sgt Helms' brother, Lt William S. Helms, was killed while on detached service with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Lt Helms is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial in England.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.389thbg.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census

Photo source: Mireille Goedhart, The Dothan Eagle - 3 May 1946