James D Stotts | American Air Museum

James D Stotts

Military

media-56795.jpeg UPL 56795 S/Sgt. James D. Stotts - 423rd Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group

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Object Number - UPL 56795 - S/Sgt. James D. Stotts - 423rd Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group

James D. Stotts enlisted on 29-Jan-1942 in Lubbock, TX - his home town. He joined the 423rd BS of the 306th BG on 23-Nov-1943 as a Sergeant. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant on 4-Apr-1944

Shot down 24 April 1944 in B-17 #42-31539. Landed in Switzerland. Interned. Admitted to mental hospital in Switzerland, and discharged too early. Died from wounds after jumping from a hotel window in Wengen, Switzerland [read MACR for more details]. NOTE: Correct MACR number is 4281, NOT 4821.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90957843

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.

306th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

The insignia of the 423rd Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group.

423rd Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 306th Bomb Group leave contrails behind as they fly in formation. B-17 (serial number 42-31539) is visible in the foreground. Printed caption on reverse: '27814 USAF - with their contrails blending into the clouds below them, these Flying Fortresses of the U.S. Army 8th Ari Force head out over Europe to blast Nazi installations deep inside Germany. The large black burst in the centre of the photo is thought to be a ground fired enemy rocket. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO.'

42-31539

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron

Places

A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'

Thurleigh

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Bedford

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Texas	23 March 1922
Died	Wengen, Switzerland	16 October 1944
Other Interned (INT)	Neftenbach, Switzerland	24 April 1944
Enlisted

Revisions

Date17 Apr 2022 00:16:51

ContributorDouglas P

Changes

Sources

https://www.306bg.us/Search/search%20all%20v5%20w%20input%20validation%…
NARA
"Shot from the Sky - American POWs in Switzerland" by Cathryn J. Prince

Date27 Sep 2014 18:14:15

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4281 / MACR 4281, NARA,

href="http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/search/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=167554…">http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/search/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=167554…;,

href="http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/wardept/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=12542…">http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/wardept/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=12542…; / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

James D Stotts: Gallery (2 items)

Object number: UPL 56795 - S/Sgt. James D. Stotts - 423rd Bomb Squadron...

Object number: UPL 56798 - James D. Stotts - Article in the Lubbock Morning...