Daniel James Jr (1920 - 1978)

Biography

Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. was the first African-American to reach the rank of 4-star general.

Daniel James, Jr was the son of Daniel James, Sr and his wife Lillie Brown. ^[1] He graduated from the Tuskegee University in 1942 where he received a bachelor's degree. He continued civilian pilot training under the government-sponsored Civilian Pilot Training Program.

He married Dorothy Watkins (1921-2000) in Tuskegee, Alabama, November 3,1942. James served in WWII, but saw his first combat in Korea where he flew 101 combat missions in P-51 Mustang and F-80 aircraft. He went on to serve in Vietnam.

In June 1967, under Colonel Robin Olds, he was named wing vice commander when Col. Vermont Garrison completed his tour. Both in their mid-40s, they formed a legendary team nicknamed "Blackman and Robin." James flew 78 combat missions into North Vietnam, many in the Hanoi/Haiphong area, and led a flight in the "Operation Bolo" MiG sweep in which seven Communist MiG-21s were destroyed, the highest total kill of any mission during the Vietnam War.^[2]

James was promoted to four-star grade and assigned as commander in chief of NORAD/ADCOM at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, on September 1, 1975.

He died from a heart attack in 1978 at Colorado Springs, Colorado.

He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.^[3][4]

Family

• Dorothy Watkins (1921-2000)

Children

• Lieutenant General Daniel James III
• another son
• a daughter

Sources

1. ↑ SSN Death Index: Name: Daniel James Jr SSN: 263229827 Gender: Male Race: Black Birth Date: 11 Feb 1920 Birth Place: Pensacola Es, Florida Father Name: Daniel James Mother Name: Lillie A Brown Death Date: Feb 1978 Type of Claim: Original SSN. Notes: May 1940: Name listed as DANIEL JAMES JR; 29 Dec 1987: Name listed as DANIEL JAMES Source Information U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
2. ↑ Wikipdia
3. ↑ U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010
4. ↑ FindAGrave

• 1920 Florida Census

Name: Daniel James Jr Age: 15 Gender: Male Race: Colored (Black) Birth Place: Florida Est. Birth Year: abt 1920 Relationship to Head: Son Father's name: Daniel James Mother's name: Lillie James Census Year: 1935 Locality: Precinct 28 County: Escambia Page: 22 Line: 10 Archive Series #: S5, Roll 10 Household Members: Name Age Daniel James 58 Lillie James 56 Daniel James 15 Francis James 34 Source Information Florida, State Census, 1867-1945

• 1930 Census

Name: Dan James Birth Year: abt 1920 Gender: Male Race: Negro (Black) Birthplace: Florida Marital Status: Single Relation to Head of House: Son Home in 1930: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida Map of Home: View Map Street address: N. Alcaniz Street House Number in Cities or Towns: 1606 Dwelling Number: 137 Family Number: 147 Attended School: Yes Able to Read and Write: Yes Father's Birthplace: Alabama Mother's Birthplace: Florida Able to Speak English: Yes Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Dan James 53 Lilly James 51 Francis J James 29 Charley F James 19 Lilly M James 16 Dan James 10 Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; Roll: 315; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0023; Image: 743.0; FHL microfilm: 2340050

• https://www.fold3.com/page/625462269_daniel_james_1920/
• "Black Americans In The US Military From The American Revolution To The Korean War: The Korean War," New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, Web, accessed 14 Nov 2022. link.