James Walter Craig (1920 - 1943)

Born 21 Jan 1920 in Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

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

James Craig was awarded the Air Medal.

Staff Sergeant James Craig served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II
Service started: 30 Jul 1940
Unit(s): 328th Bombardment, 93rd Bombardment Group, Eighth Air Force
Service ended: 22 Dec 1943

Staff Sergeant James Craig was Killed in Action when the bomber he was a crew member on was hit by flak and dropped out if formation on a mission to Osnabruck, Germany. during World War II.

James was born 21 January 1920 in Pennsylvania. He was the son of Walter H. Craig and Anna L. Bimson. He was baptized 9 September 1921 in Whitemarsh, Montgomery, Pennsylvania.^[1]

James was the tail gunner of the B-24 Liberator bomber, Satan's Angels - #42-40604 on the 1 August 1943 mission to the Oil Fields and Refineries at Ploesti, Rumania named Operation Tidal Wave. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for the mission.

He was killed in action on 22 December 1943 when the B-24 bomber he was a crew member of, #42-41015 was hit by flak and dropped out of formation. The bomber was flying a mission to Osnabruck, Germany. He was initially listed as missing in action and declared dead two years after he failed to return. His body was the only crew member that was recovered.

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "Pennsylvania and New Jersey, U.S., Church and Town Records, 1669-2013"
   Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2451 #2021633921 (accessed 29 February 2024)
   Walter James Craig baptism on 9 Sep 1921 (born 21 Jan 1920), child of Walter H Craig & Anna L Craig, in Whitemarsh, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, USA.

• 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920"
  citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Line: 68; Digital film/folder number: 004968648; FHL microfilm: 1821606; Image number: 1066; Sheet number: 8; Sheet letter: B; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03078-1
  FamilySearch Record: MFY2-QMY (accessed 29 February 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RJL-63Z
  James Craig (2 months), single son, in household of W H Craig (32) in Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States. Born in Pennsylvania.
• 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
  citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T626; Line: 34; Digital film/folder number: 004953136; FHL microfilm: 2341819; Image number: 665; Sheet number: 6; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03905-8
  FamilySearch Record: XHZH-2Z7 (accessed 29 February 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9R88-57T
  James W Craig (10), single son, in household of Walter H Craig (43) in Whitemarsh, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States. Born in Pennsylvania.
• 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
  citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 52; Digital film/folder number: 005456716; Image number: 124; Sheet number: 7; Sheet letter: B
  FamilySearch Record: KQD1-LZY (accessed 29 February 2024)
  FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89MT-PC3L
  James Craig (20), single grandson, in household of Thomson Bunson (82) in Fort Washington, Upper Dublin Township, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States. Born in Pennsylvania.
• Military: "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946"
  citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland
  FamilySearch Record: KMFL-6ML (accessed 29 February 2024)
  Name: James W Craig; Marital Status: Single, without dependents; Race: White; Military Service Date: 30 Jul 1940; Military Service Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; Birth Date: 1920; Birth Place: PENNSYLVANIA; Arc Identifier: 1263923; Branch Alpha Orig: FA; Branch Code: Field Artillery; Branch Code Orig: 30; Civil Occupation Orig: 999; Component: Regular Army (including Officers, Nurses, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men); Component Orig: 1; Education: Grammar school; Education Orig: 0; Enlistment Day: 30; Enlistment Month: Jul; Enlistment Month Orig: 07; Enlistment Place: PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA; Enlistment Place Orig: 3295; Enlistment Term: Enlistment for the Philippine Department; Enlistment Term Orig: 7; Enlistment Year: 1940; Enlistment Year Orig: 40; Event Type: Military Service; Grade Alpha Orig: PVT; Grade Code: Private; Grade Code Orig: 8; Major Force Of Assign: 7; Military Occupation: 6613; Reel Box Card: 01131.113; Serial Number: 13004719; Source: Civil Life; Source Orig: 0.
• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #56297869 (accessed 29 February 2024)
  Memorial page for SSgt James W. Craig (21 Jan 1920-22 Dec 1943), citing Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands (plot: Plot J Row 17 Grave 20); Maintained by John Dowdy (contributor 47791572).
• Military: "U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949"
  American Battle Monuments Commission; Arlington, VA; Cemetery Records
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 9170 #72706 (accessed 29 February 2024)
  Name: James W Craig; Gender: Male; Rank: Staff Sergeant; Residence Place: Pennsylvania; Type of Medal: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters; Service Number: 13004719; Military Unit: 328th Bomber Squadron, 93rd Bomber Group, Heavy; Military Branch: U.S. Army Air Forces; War: World War II; Death Date: 22 Dec 1943; Cemetery Plot Number: J; Cemetery Row: 17; Cemetery Section: Grave: 20; Cemetery: Netherlands; Burial Place: Margraten, Netherlands; Mother: Anna B Craig.
• National Archives - Missing Air Crew Report number 2191 Record Group 92: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Series: Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs)