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Personal info

Full name
STRONG, James W
Date of birth
8 August 1920
Age
23
Place of birth
Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan
Hometown
King County, Washington

Military service

Service number
O-744514
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
561st Bombardment Squadron,
388th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
23 March 1944
Place of death
Northern tip of the Ruhr Valley, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Carroll R. Strong (father)
Elsie R. (Farley) Strong (mother)
Mary J. Strong (sister)
Beverley (Kruger) Strong (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-38120
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
MACR: 3543

More information

Prior to entering the service on 21 March 1942 in Seattle, Washington, Lt James W. Strong was employed by Boeing Aircraft Co.

Lt. Gerstenhaber in a/c 42-38120, was hit by flak in the #3 engine over the Northern tip of the Ruhr Valley. This is what happened, by Roy Maggard:
"We were hit in the #3 engine and when smoke filled the cockpit, we pulled out of formation and started to bail out. After the pilot set up the auto-pilot, they went to the escape hatch to bail-out. The navigator and bombardier were there and could not release the door. When we got the hatch open, I forced the bombardier out (he was wounded). About that time, the plane went into a spin and the four still in the plane (pilot, co-pilot, navigator and engineer) could not move. Then the plane started to break-up and finally blew-up. The navigator went out first, followed by the pilot, engineer and myself."

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, Carla Mans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, Washington, Marriage Records, 1854-2013, 1930 Census, WWII Draft Cards

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, https://www.togetherweserved.com/