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Personal info

Full name
MC LEAN, James Edward
Date of birth
27 September 1916
Age
27
Place of birth
Mount Sterling, Montgomery County, Kentucky
Hometown
Caldwell County, Kentucky

Military service

Service number
O-798539
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
413th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
4 January 1944
Place of death
Near Lingen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 40 39

Immediate family

Members
Oswald Mc Lean (father)
Bessie Mc Lean (mother)
Virginia W. (Redd) Mc Lean (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30518
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Short Stride IV
Destination: Münster, Germany
MACR: 2016

More information

Collided with aircraft 42-5953, both going down.

On the mission to Munster, Germany, 1LT James McLean was piloting ShortStride IV and 2LT George Davis was in command of Skin and Bones. The sun momentarily blinded them when they turned toward the target. Seventeen young American airmen were killed in the resulting crash. Three airmen survived to become prisoners of war.

1st Lt James E. Mc. Lean first buried at Temporary American Military Cemetery Ardennes, Belgium Block T, Row 7, Grave 173.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - U.S.,
Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, www.findagrave.com - Gene Hunter / Rick Ramey, http://96bg.org

Photo source: Jac Engels, http://96bg.org, www.findagrave.com - Rick Ramey