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name
PADGETT, James Walstine Jr - Date of
birth
11 September 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Burns City, Martin County, Indiana -
Hometown
Marion County, Indiana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-712213 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator/Bombardier -
Unit
557th Bombardment Squadron,
387th Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
25 November 1944 - Place of
death
Near La Neuville-Housset, France
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Epinal
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 10 | 43 |
Immediate family
-
Members
James W. Padgett (father)
Martha (Queen) Padgett (mother)
William R. Padgett (brother)
Marguerite Padgett (sister)
Alberta Padgett (sister)
Francis Padgett (brother)
Theresa P. Padgett (sister)
Mary J. Padgett (sister)
Joseph L. Padgett (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-34151 -
Data
Type: B-26G
Destination: Kaiserslautern, Germany
Mission: Bombing of an ammunition dump
More information
2nd Lt James W. Padgett Jr. graduated from Loogootee High School and worked for the Schwitzer-Cummins Company.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Lafayette, Indiana on 23 September 1942. He was sent overseas in July 1944.
Statement from Raul Pompa, surviving crew member:
"She flew straight into a plowed field, beside the village of La Neuville Housset. On returning to their base, A-71, from a bombing mission at Kaiserslautern, the pilot and co-pilot forgot to reset the altimeter. They thought they were flying 200 feet higher than they actually were. The weather was bad. It was snowing and sleeting, and it was dusk or night. The pilot and co-pilot didn't have time to react before it was too late."
Four crew mermbers were killed, two survived.
Lt Padgett had been on 16 missions.
He was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery Champigneul, France.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, www.findagrave.com, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / McKay Family Tree, WWI Draft Card, https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/B-26-Marauder/1943034151.html, http://www.b26.com/guestbook/2014.htm, Newspapers The Indianapolis Star 1944
Photo source: www.findagrave.com – Andy / Joel Frampton Gilfert, www.newspapers.com - The Indianapolis Star 1944