James Carroll Beam (1918 - 1996)

Born 26 Jan 1918 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States

Died 17 May 1996 at age 78 in Santa Rosa, Florida, United States

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Biography

James Beam was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (United States).

James Beam was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States).

James Beam was awarded the Air Medal.

Colonial James Beam served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II
Service started: 14 Mar 1941
Unit(s): 506th Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bombardment Group, Ninth Air Force
Service ended: 17 Oct 1966

James was born 26 January 1918 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

He married Barbara Butz 9 January 1942 at Westover Field, Massachusetts.^[1]

James was the pilot of the B-24 Liberator bomber, Mister Five by Five - #41-24234-U, participating in Operation Tidal Wave the low-level attack on the Romanian oil refineries at Ploesti on 1 August 1943. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for the mission.

He passed away 17 May 1996 in Florida. ^[2][3][4]

Find A Grave: Memorial #69971762

• 1930 - Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States.^[5]
• 1940 - Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States.^[6]

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps), [then Major] James Carroll Beam, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-24 Heavy Bomber in the 506th Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bombardment Group (H), NINTH Air Force (Attached), while participating in a bombing mission on 1 August 1943, against the Ploesti Oil Refineries in Rumania. A Squadron Leader, Colonel Beam was leading his formation toward the target when subjected to intense point-blank fire from ground installations. Realizing that to take evasive action at so low an altitude would disrupt the formation and imperil the success of the mission, he held his course straight to the target and his skillful piloting and courageous perseverance made possible the successful bombing of the target. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Colonel Beam on this occasion, even when confronted with practically certain destruction, exemplified the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 9th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ WEDDING IN MASSACHUSETTS, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 13 Jan 1942, Tue • Page 5
2. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J221-QMP : 9 January 2021), James C Beam, 17 May 1996; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
3. ↑ "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVDN-9MV : 25 December 2014), James Carroll Beam, 17 May 1996; from "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," index, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : 2004); citing vol. , certificate number 62218, Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, Jacksonville.
4. ↑ JAMES CARROLL BEAM, Pensacola News Journal, Pensacola, Florida, 19 May 1996, Sun • Page 22
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X47N-2RL : accessed 21 November 2021), James C Beam in household of James L Glascock, Cincinnati (Districts 340, 395-576), Hamilton, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 405, sheet 7B, line 59, family 132, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1806; FHL microfilm 2,341,540.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWPZ-637 : 9 January 2021), J Carroll Beam in household of J C Beam, Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 91-64, sheet 2B, line 69, family 45, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 3189.
7. ↑ Hall of Valor Project - James Carroll Beam

• National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 01762; Reel: 33. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2005. Ancestry Record 8939 #3158269
• Ancestry.com. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Ancestry Record 2441 #2305602
• Hamilton County Men Citied As Heroes in Ploesti Raid, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 17 Nov 1943, Wed • Page 3
  • Five Flyers Cited, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 17 Nov 1943, Wed • Page 4
• RECOGNITION, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 30 Nov 1943, Tue • Page 5
• HEROES OF RUMANIAN RAID, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 18 Nov 1943, Thu • Page 9
• Many Decorations Worn By Returning Air Hero; Two Pilots Back Home, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 21 Jun 1944, Wed • Page 5
• Veterans At Miami Beach Awaiting Next Assignment, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 31 Jul 1944, Mon • Page 6
• FLYING COLONEL, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 06 Feb 1944, Sun • Page 18
• Ancestry.com. U.S., Select Military Registers, 1862-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors. United States Military Registers, 1902–1985. Salem, Oregon: Oregon State Library. Ancestry Record 2345 #1562284