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Personal info

Full name
ATKINSON, James Brown
Date of birth
19 February 1920
Age
23
Place of birth
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Hometown
Asher, Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma

Military service

Service number
O-797229
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
549th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
15 August 1943
Place of death
10 miles off the coast of Dunkerque, English Channel

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Charles J. Atkinson (father)
Ola R. Atkinson (mother)
Charles E. Atkinson (brother)
Elizabeth Atkinson (sister)
Edna E. Atkinson (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30598
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Vitry-en-Artois, France
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 267

More information

Along with airplane #42-30186, this airplane was hit by a fighter which flew through their formation. Both B-17s fell out of the formation. The pilot of #42-30186 said that he might have been able to keep up with the formation, but, since he seriously doubted this possibility, he thought it better to drop out and to try to protect plane #42-30598. Both aircraft were jumped by fighters. Plane #42-30598 was also hit by flak. The two airplanes got about 10 miles off the coast near Dunkerque when #42-30498 prepared to ditch, since its #1 and #2 engines were out. About 300 feet above the water, the left wing came off, the airplane nosed into the water and then it seemed to explode.

The entire crew of ten was killed.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com, www.fold3.com - MACR

Photo source: FOHF, www.ancestry.com