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Personal info

Full name
BOYD, James Robert
Date of birth
17 November 1906
Age
37
Place of birth
Marion County, Tennessee
Hometown
Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee

Military service

Service number
14158285
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
708th Bombardment Squadron,
447th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
29 April 1944
Place of death
Destedt, 7 miles east of Braunschweig, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
O 18 2

Immediate family

Members
James T. Boyd (father)
Lettie J. (McCurry) Boyd (mother)
Edith C. Boyd (sister)
Abner Boyd (brother)
Francis N. Boyd (sister)
Violet G. Boyd (sister)
Sarah J. Boyd (sister)
Nell S. Boyd (sister)
Luda M. (Benson) Boyd (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31144
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Ace High
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the city
MACR: 4247

More information

S/Sgt James R. Boyd employed as a metal worker at the Summers Motor Company in Redbank before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Camp Forrest, Tennessee on 17 October 1942.

The airplane was attacked by enemy fighters and knocked out of formation. It was then attacked again and last seen diving into cloud cover, still under control, but engine #2 was smoking. Three parachutes were observed.

One crew member survived and was wounded. He was taken prisoner and transported to the hospital in Braunschweig. Nine crew members were killed. They were initially buried at the village cemetery of Destedt on 30 April 1944.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Danny van der Groen, Arthur Jansen, Carla Mans,
www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Familie Trees / Census, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.findagrave.com - Patsy Carnahan Ryan, www.newspapers.com - Chattanooga Daily Times (Tennessee) - 10 June 1944

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, www.newspapers.com - Chattanooga Daily Times (Tennessee) - 10 June 1944