SSGT James Traylor
James Traylor was an original member of the 384th, and served as ball turret gunner for the Jesse Hausenfluck crew (544th BS).

The crew's original aircraft was B-17F 42-29956, named "Vertical Shaft."

On August 17, 1943, the crew was shot down on their 11th mission en route to Schweinfurt, Germany. Traylor baled out, and was captured by the Germans. He spent the remainder of the war as a POW at Stalag 17B.

James Traylor at his crew's memorial plaque, Savannah, Georgia, September 2000.
SSGT Traylor's POW ID photographs. Photos courtesy of James Traylor