384th 2025 REUNION
INFORMATION PAGE⇗

Early, James Walker

Individual Personnel Data
Name Early, James Walker   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 33539457   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #139 dated 16 July 1944, effective 16 July 1944.
  • Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 546th Bomb Squadron Morning Report - Casual Pool, 70th Reinforcement Depot, AAF Station Chorley, effective 14 May 1945.
Duty Flexible Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 14 May 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on 7 October 1944 per General Orders #423, Headquarters 1st Bomb Division dated 14 October 1944.
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 4 October 1918
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #200 dated 9 October 1944.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant effective 26 March 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #66 dated 26 March 1945.
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. LeDonne, Edward George, "Doc"⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Salley, Thomas Raysor, Jr⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Stern, Paul Bernard⇗NavigatorKIA
2nd Lt. Grady, George James⇗BombardierPOW
SGT. Bickford, Robert George⇗Radio Operator / GunnerTBD
S/SGT. O'Hare, Richard Walter⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Williams, Herbert Howard⇗Ball Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Sievert, Clifford Leroy⇗Tail GunnerCT
SGT. Early, James WalkerFlexible GunnerCT
SGT. Tormey, Robert DePaul⇗Flexible GunnerTR
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 33 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
167⇗ 29 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107057⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
169⇗ 1 August 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Chartres, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report⇗
174⇗ 7 August 1944 Target: Aircraft Fuel Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dugny (Paris), France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
175⇗ 8 August 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Bretteville-sur-Laize, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
176⇗ 9 August 1944 Target: Erding Airdrome & Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Erding, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
178⇗ 12 August 1944 Target: "Landing Ground"
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: La Perthe, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
179⇗ 13 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Road Network
Type: Transportation
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger (area), France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
181⇗ 16 August 1944 Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Delitzsch, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section lead, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
185⇗ 26 August 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
186⇗ 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
187⇗ 3 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
191⇗ 10 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Sindelfingen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑107058⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
199⇗ 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑102620⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
202⇗ 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38548⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
204⇗ 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38548⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
205⇗ 5 October 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38548⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron. Released bombs early.
Sortie Report⇗
207⇗ 7 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Leipzig, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38548⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
265⇗ 9 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑39053⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
267⇗ 15 February 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑39053⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Bassingbourn Airfield, AAF Station 121.
Sortie Report⇗
272⇗ 23 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Plauen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑39203⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
274⇗ 25 February 1945 Target: Tank & Submarine Engine Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑39203⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
275⇗ 26 February 1945 Target: Schlesicher Railroad Station (Bahnhof)
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑39203⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
280⇗ 3 March 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6882⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
292⇗ 19 March 1945 Target: Braunkohle-Benzin Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Bohlen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑39138⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group.
Sortie Report⇗
293⇗ 20 March 1945 Target: Deutsche Werft Submarine Shipyard
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑38766⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
294⇗ 22 March 1945 Target: German Hutted Camps (Barracks) at 51°36'N,7°06'E
Type: Military
Location: Westerholt, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6909⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
296⇗ 24 March 1945 Target: Vechta Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Vechta, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 43‑37843⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
298⇗ 26 March 1945 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6909⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
299⇗ 28 March 1945 Target: Berlin/Spandau Motor Transport Works
Type: Industry
Location: Spandau (Berlin), Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6909⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
300⇗ 30 March 1945 Target: Deutsche Schiff- u. Maschinenbau A.G. (DESCHIMAG)
Submarine and Warship Yard
Machine Shop
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 44‑6909⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗

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