James D Counce

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Nose gunner, E, Klein crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Original member of the Carqueville crew. Shot down by fighters on mission #59 to the aircraft factories at Oschersleben, Germany on 11 Jan 1944 in B-17G #42-31417 'Big Time Operator II'. MACR 1879. Sgt Counce flew in place of a Navigator and was hit by 20mm fire while in the nose of the aircraft. Killed in Action (KIA). Possibly flew up to 23 or 24 missions.

Corinth, MS

The 1st Bomb Wing/381st BG did not hear the recall while over the continent. 180 out of 700 bombers continued on the mission with no fighter cover. The 533rd BS lost 6 out of 9 bombers. The 381st BG earned its second Distinguished Unit Citation.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 6830301
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-801987
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16059463 at enlistment, then O-734667
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-733664
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13116808
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Big Time Operator II, Patches
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Based

Killed in Action (KIA)

22 July 1943 - 11 January 1944 Original member of the Carqueville crew.

Other

Killed in Action

Germany 11 January 1944

Born

Corinth, Mississippi, USA

Buried

Tennessee

Revisions

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Contributorjmoore43
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Corrected a typo in the "Summary biography" - "and" was misspelled.

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Contributorjmoore43
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Added a space to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

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ContributorARowe95
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ARowe95

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ContributorARowe95
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ARowe95

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ContributorARowe95
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ARowe95

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ContributorAAM
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Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1879 / MACR 1879, 8th AF Losses / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database