JUGs in Italy

[Tull]

Gents,

I was told that there were a number of members that have extensive research resources on the Army Air Corps in WWII. I have been trying to find information for my mother on her first cousin who was a Jug pilot in the Italian Theater. The info that I have is that James Erwin Anderson Jr, died on 9 Nov 1944 off the coast of Italy and he was a P-47 driver. Is there a place that I can go to get my mother some more information?

Jamie
“TULL”

JAMES W GENTRY III
Commander's Operations and Training Assistant (COTA), Mission Support Team #3
ARNG Distributed Battle Simulations Program (DBSP)
General Dynamic Information Technology
jamie.gentry@gdit.com

[Guppy35]

From the 79th Fighter Group History.

It apears James E Anderson was part of the 86th Fighter Squadron, 79th Fighter Group (86th were the "Comanches")

"Two days later (November 9) Lt. James E Anderson Jr, a Comanche pilot from Houston Texas was killed in a freak mishap southwest of Forli.  The 4th British Infantry Division was making a strong bid for Forli that day and their advance was being held up by a shone building that the Germans had fortified and made into a stronghold.  Six Comanches and a flight of Skeeters answered the Britisher's call for help and were making rocket attacks against the enemy position.  Down on the deck where there is little room for mental or mechanical error, Anderson's rocket tubes became entangled with his ailerons.  The sudden loss of control flipped his heavy Thunderbolt over on it's back and it dove into the ground.  Anderson was dead, but 26 rocket hits had completely demolished the enemy strongpoint and Forli fell to the British later that day"

[Guppy35]

He's listed on the WW2 registry on the National WW2 Memorial website

http://www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=home.asp

2 LT James E. Anderson, Jr.
 
ID: O1695599
Branch of Service: U.S. Army
Hometown: Harris County, TX
Status: KIA 

The other bit I found is he enlisted October 17, 1942 in Dallas, Texas

Born in 1914

[Bodhi]

Dan, You are absolutely irreplaceable.   

Glad you could be of service to Tull.

[Tull]

Gents,

   Thank you so much for the information.  I can’t express my amazement at the speed which you responded to my posting.   Now I need to try to de-conflict oral family history with official unit history.

   After the war a gentleman by the name of Harold Hall (of Kansas) came to my great-grandmother and claimed to be Jimmy’s (2 Lt. J.E. Anderson Jr.) wingman.  Can his name be confirmed as a member of the Comanche’s?

  The story that he related to my family was:  At the end of a mission on the 9th of November, Jimmy had a hung bomb on his Jug.  He could not land the aircraft on the field due to the danger of detonation.  He ditch in the Med.  Hall orbited Jimmy until he was safely in his rubber raft.  Due to darkness, Jimmy was lost and his body washed up on shore the next day.

   I do not believe it is possible to fully reconcile the two stories, but any further information would be greatly appreciated by my mother and her cousins. 

Jamie
"TULL"

JAMES W GENTRY III
Commander's Operations and Training Assistant (COTA), Mission Support Team #3
ARNG Distributed Battle Simulations Program (DBSP)
General Dynamic Information Technology
jamie.gentry@gdit.com

[Guppy35]

Photo of Lt. Hall from the 79th FG History.  Note the rocket tubes behind him that, at least according to the history, caused the crash of your mom's cousin

[Cooley]

Nice work Guppy, you the man!

what model Jug was it.  D11?

[wrongwayric]

  Wasn't the type of JUGG's post i thought it was darn!

[KayBayRay]

Damn, I thought this was a post about Sophia Loren...   

Later,

KayBay

[Guppy35]

What's sad is that a couple of ya don't seem to get that what the post was about was far more important then what you thought it was about.

Instead of making a joke, I'd suggest you take  a second to reflect on the young man who lost his life in that P47 all those years ago.   

[Hajo]

Dan, well done.  I'm glad you were of help.  The info was very interesting to me also.

But of more importance it was of great value to the Pilots family.

Kids......about as deep as a puddle sometimes.  No thought at all before making a comment.

[Widewing]

I wonder if those two dorks understand how close they will be to PNG status come Monday....

[Tull]

Dan,

  Jimmy was my mother’s double-first cousin and he was survived by a younger brother and sister.  I wanted to share with you what Jimmy’s younger brother (William) wrote back to me. 

“Jamie: Thanks for the facts regarding my older brother Jimmy's death. This varies from what we were told of how he died. At my Father's invitation, Harold Hall visited us in Cass Lake, Minnesota several years running after the war and kept in touch with various family members through the 1190s.Jimmy is now buried in your great grandparents plot in Fairlawn Cemetery, Oklahoma City along with our earlier brother of the same name who was still born. Keep in touch and I will try to answer all your questions. Best regards William”

   My mother also was a resident at Cass Lake during Lt Hall’s visits and recognized him from the picture you sent.  Thank you very much for the time and information that you provided for my family.  Family history is important to us and you filled in some blank spots.  I will post the military graduation photo of Jimmy when it is sent to me.

Thank you again for going above and beyond.

Jamie
“TULL”
James W Gentry III
LTC (RET), Cavalry, USA

JAMES W GENTRY III
Commander's Operations and Training Assistant (COTA), Mission Support Team #3
ARNG Distributed Battle Simulations Program (DBSP)
General Dynamic Information Technology
jamie.gentry@gdit.com

[Masherbrum]

Wasn't the type of JUGG's post i thought it was darn!

Damn, I thought this was a post about Sophia Loren...   

Later,

KayBay

You two tools should be Banned from this Board without hesitation.

[Masherbrum]

Dan, I've had this photo on my HD for a few years now.   I know the Jug was flown by the Brazilians in WWII.   This particular incident involved the Jug hitting a chimney and losing part of the wing.   Which when you take into account of the THREE men on the "stub", you realize just how large the wing is, like the Hellcat.

Just curious if there is any other info on this picture.   Was it a low-level strafing run, jabo?   




Finally, Dan you are truly a Gem on this Board.   You've been a great guy to get to know in the game.   You do a Saint's work and don't ever let someone convince you otherwise.   

<<S>> Friend,

Jay