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name
PEARCE, James Brunner - Date of
birth
23 May 1924 -
Age
19 - Place of
birth
Wake County, North Carolina -
Hometown
Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
14166120 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Right Waist Gunner -
Unit
526th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
13 March 1944 - Place of
death
English Channel, off the coast of Boulogne, France
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Herbert C. Pearce (father)
Nellie Pearce (mother)
Herbert C. Pearce (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-39980 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Just So
Destination: Croisette, France
Mission: Bombing of the V1 site
MACR: 3240
More information
James Pearce attended high school for two years and worked in the production of dairy products.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Camp Croft, South Carolina.
The aircraft went down with the right wing on fire as a result of anti-aircraft fire. Ten parachutes were seen coming out of the aircraft. Five crew members were killed, five survived and were taken prisoner.
S/Sgt Pearce bailed out and was last seen in his parachute about three miles over the English Channel just off Boulogne, France according to the radio operator. He may have landed in the Channel and either drowned or been hit by flak.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com MACR, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census, http://francecrashes39-45.net
Photo source: FOHF, Storiesbehindthestars.org