Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
JAMES, Ben Gates Jr - Date of
birth
12 June 1924 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana -
Hometown
Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
38388017 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Armorer/Gunner -
Unit
777th Bombardment Squadron,
464th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
28 July 1944 - Place of
death
Ploesti, Rumania
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 40 | 41 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Ben G. James Sr. (father)
Massie B. James (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-29275 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Destination: Ploesti, Rumania
Mission: Bombing Oil Refinery
MACR: 6996
More information
S/Sgt Ben G. James, Jr. graduated from C E Byrd High School and attended Centenary College.He enlisted in Shreveport, Louisiana, on 29 January 1943.
Statement from 2nd Lt Harry B. Blau O-690352: "I was Navigator on Lt. Schac's plane. Shortly before bombs away, I was watching out the nose window and happened to be looking right at YI. I saw several bombs descending right over this plane, still falling in a horizontal position, just as they fell out of the bomb racks. Before I had time even to think that they might hit the plane, there was a tremendous explosion and YI blew up in a great flash and cloud of smoke in midair."
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / WWII Draft Cards Young Men, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, C E Byrd High School 1938