James Ryland Fink
Military
Back Row L-R Lt Francis Towner: Pilot. Lt James Fink: Co-Pilot. Lt Harold Lasch: Nav, Lt Modesto Olivio: Bdr
Front Row L-R. S/Sgt Henry Schulz: R/Op. S/Sgt John Cangemi: TTE. Sgt Anthony Tacinelli: Ball Turret and Asst. R/Op. Sgt Joseph Polinski: Right Waist Gunner and Asst Engineer, Sgt Lawrence Schenk: Tail Gunner. Sgt Borge Kellstrom Left waist Gunner
From Marty Turlik on 91st BG FB Page Daughter of James Fink
Object Number - UPL 52343 - The Towner Crew 91st BG Back Row L-R Lt Francis Towner: Pilot. Lt James Fink: Co-Pilot. Lt Harold Lasch: Nav, Lt Modesto Olivio: Bdr Front Row L-R....
Flew 35 bombing missions over Germany as an Army Air Forces lieutenant with the 322nd Squadron of the 91st Bombardment Group based in Bassingbourn, England. Those missions included historic raids over Schweinfurt's defense plants and Remagen, the heavily defended bridge that finally fell in 1945. Normally, if a pilot or crew member of a bomber aircraft survived 25 missions, they were rotated home to serve as flight or gunner instructors. But later in the war, the number of forays was extended because of high combat and accident losses among their number. Carrying a different crew in April 1945, Wee Willie was hit by German flak and fighters and crashed on the plane's 128th mission, the next-to-last B-17 to be lost in the war from James' bomb group, historical records show.
Awards: DFC, AM (5OLC), American Campaign, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32046336
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wee Willie
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
Places
Graduation announcement for Class 44-B
Tuesday, February 8th, 1944
Document provided by next-of-kin of graduate of Class 44-B
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Kaye Field
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania | 31 January 1924 | Son of Telford N and Jean H [Osmer] Fink. |
|
Enlisted |
30 November 1942 | James was in service from 30-Nov-42, to 13-Oct-46. | |
|
Died |
Lutherville Timonium, MD | 10 October 2003 | |
|
Buried |
Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens Timonium, Baltimore County, MD | 14 October 2003 | Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens Timonium, Baltimore County, Maryland |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self/relative