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name
MURRAY, James Edward - Date of
birth
24 March 1919 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York -
Hometown
Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-732757 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
368th Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Died of Wounds - Date of
death
5 April 1943 - Place of
death
Kalmthout, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 39 | 46 |
Immediate family
-
Members
F. Leo Murray (father)
Ann I. Murray (sister)
F. Leo Murray (brother)
Mabel V. (Mahoney) Murray (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-24465 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Mortsel, Belgium
Mission: Bombing of the Erla engine and aircraft factory
MACR: 15534
More information
James Murray attended Arts High School where he played football.He was employed as a draftsman by the General Electric Co.
He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Boston, Massachusetts on 15 January 1942 and received his wings at Mather Field, California on 31 October 1942.
He was married to Mabel Mahoney on 11 February 1943 and was sent to Europe a month later.
The airplane was hit by flak, by German fighters or both. On the return flight, it was seen to turn toward enemy territory near Westkapelle on Walcheren Island, the Netherlands, with two engines smoking. It crashed in a field in Kalmthout, Belgium.
Seven crew members survived and were taken prisoner. Three men were killed. They were initially buried at the Soldiers Cemetery Schoonselhof in Hoboken, Belgium on 12 April 1943.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans,www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, The Boston Globe - 26 June 1943