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Personal info

Full name
CRAIG, James Walter
Date of birth
21 January 1920
Age
23
Place of birth
Whitemarsh, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Fort Washington, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
13004719
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
328th Bombardment Squadron,
93rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 December 1943
Place of death
North Sea, west of Texel, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
J 17 20

Immediate family

Members
Walter H. Craig (father)
Anna L. (Bimson) Craig (mother)
Elizabeth L. Craig (sister)
Ruth D. Craig (sister)
Ann J. Craig (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-41015
Data
Type: B-24D
Nickname: Wise Guy
Destination: Osnabrück, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yards
MACR: 2191

More information

S/Sgt James W. Craig joined the Regular Army in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 30 July 1940. He trained at Fort Bragg, North Carolina for two years with the Artillery before hew as transferred to the Air Corps. He completed his training in Texas and Colorado before going overseas in May 1943.

At 14:52 hours the group was hit by both fighters and flak. The aircraft had several large bursts hit close by, and then took evasive action, which consisted chiefly of violent turns. This scattered the formation. It was last seen at 5238N-0620E, at 1455 hours as it passed under the formation.

The airplane crashed in the North Sea. The entire crew of nine men was killed.

On 20 May 1944, the remains of James Craig washed ashore at Vliehors, on the Island of Vlieland. He was buried by the Germans at the cemetery of Vlieland with military honor a day later.

The other crew members are listed on the Walls of the Missing at Cambridge Cemetery.

His remains were disinterred on 21 November 1945 and reburied at Margraten.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his participation in Operation Tidal Wave, the assaulty on the Ploesti Oil Fields in Rumania.

Source of information: Jac Engels, Raf Dyckmans, Carla Mans, www.archives.gov, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com - Historical Society of Montgomery County, www.findagrave.com, www.fold3.com - 1930 Census / MACR, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet / Chotsie Kelly (Via Sheree Dowdle)