Memorial

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Sgt James L. Lyons attended high school for 4 years before he joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on 3 July 1943.

S/Sgt Robert J. Huber:
"On 26 June 1944 I was flying as tail gunner on a B-24 type aircraft, piloted by 1st Lt Menges, in number 2 position of D flight. Lt Stodden was flying in number 5 position of the D flight, to the direct rear of our ship, slightly lower. We were all flying in good formation when about five minutes before we reached the target, 20 German fighters came roaring towards us in formation, past the rear of our formation. Immediately after, the number 3 engine of Lt Stodden’s ship started to smoke quite badly. About two minutes later Lt Stodden feathered the propeller on that engine and began to fall behind the rest of the formation. The enemy fighters did not return, for they were being engaged by the P-51 escorts. Lt Stodden continued on his bomb run and when he dropped his bombs he was about one mile to the rear of the formation. We rallied left, making a wide turn, and I saw Lt Stodden make a sharp left rally, quite away off the prescribed rally course and parallel to it. That was the last I saw of him. We had experienced intense rocket flak prior to and over the target an oil refinery approximately 25 miles West of Vienna, Austria, but I am sure it was the enemy fighters that caused Lt Stodden’s disappearance".

T/Sgt Roy M. Paquet:
"Sgt Lyons was hit in the leg by a 20mm shell but carried on his duties as tail gunner, firing almost constantly at the ME-109 passes. When we came down on the deck he continued firing and did so until we caught a tremendous Bomb Bay fire when they helped him out of the tail turret. They dragged him to the waist window and helped him bail out at approximately 150 feet. It was obvious that a crash landing was imminent. Sgt Lyons had died from shock and loss of blood or from failure of the parachute opening in time."