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name
COULSON, James Benton - Date of
birth
3 April 1925 -
Age
19 - Place of
birth
Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa -
Hometown
Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37484766 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
601st Bombardment Squadron,
398th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
26 November 1944 - Place of
death
In the IJsselmeer, former Zuider Zee, near Zwolle, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 17 | 1 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Floyd N. Coulson (father)
Margaret I. (Benton) Coulson (mother)
Elizabeth C. Coulson (sister)
John D. Coulson (brother)
Colleen Coulson (sister)
Patsy Coulson (sister)
Margaret Coulson (sister)
Donald Coulson (brother)
Thomas Coulson (brother)
Mary M. Coulson (sister)
William Coulson (brother)
Janice Coulson (sister)
Kathy Coulson (sister)
Robert Coulson (brother)
Nancy Coulson (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-102565 -
Data
Type: B-17
Nickname: Ugly Duckling
Destination: Misburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Deulag synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 11147
More information
Statement of 2nd Lt Henry A. Skubik:"Our formation was hit by flak around Zwolle. I saw one burst of flak directly beneath their wing. Immediately after the burst, the plane peeld off up and to the left of the formation. There was no visible fire or smoke. The next I heard, the pilot was calling on VHF, stating that he had a runaway prop and he could not feather it and he would try to make Belgium or France."
The entire crew bailed out safely but perished in the ice cold water of the lake.
On 23 April 1945 his body washed ashore and was found by the 1st Canadian Infantry Division. He was initially buried in the Municipal Cemetery of Ermelo, Netherlands.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.ancestry.com - Beavers-Boes Family Tree / 1930/1940 US Census
Photo source: Jac Engels, Sioux City Journal - 27 January 1946