Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
VOGT, James S - Date of
birth
28 February 1921 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Montana -
Hometown
Blaine County, Montana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19018012 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
851st Bombardment Squadron,
490th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
9 September 1944 - Place of
death
Zweieichen, near Cologne, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 29 | 13 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Stanley F. Vogt (father)
Gertrude F. Vogt (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38324 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Monheim, Germany
MACR: 8929
More information
S/Sgt Vogt graduated from Chinook High School in 1939.He was sent overseas in April 1944.
Two Liberators on which he previously had served were wrecked during takeoff or landing.
The ball turret gunner S/Sgt James S. Vogt died when struck by the tail section of the aircraft as he attempted to bail out. His parachute apparently never opened. He was later identified by other crewmembers for the Germans who captured them, where he fell, lying near a farmhouse.
The following is an eye witness account of 1st Lt George K. Abel:
'We were on a bombing run and had just dropped our bombs. About 15 seconds later, Lt Beach´s plane started a sharp turn to the left. The pilot´s window of his plane was open and white smoke was coming out of it. It looked similar to flare smoke. Then he peeled off and my crew reported Lt Beach´s plane diving down, headed back into the target, then leveling off. From then on we were not in position to see his plane.'
Of the 9 crewmembers, 6 were taken POW and 3 KIA. James bailed out, the radio operator saw him about to leave the ship by the waist door before he left. The civilian police of Germany brought in some of his equipment and told the other crewmembers that his parachute had failed to open.
Source of information: Michel Beckers, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.newspapers.com - Great Falls Tribune
Photo source: Michel Beckers, www.newspapers.com - Great Falls Tribune