James Howell Howard
Military
JCook Photo Collection
Object Number - UPL 27694 - Lt Col Jim Howard 354th FG
USN 1939-1941 flew F3Fs with VF-6 USS Enterprise CV-6
AVG Flying Tigers 2nd Pursuit Squadron P-40C, P-40E 1941-42
AAF 329th FG P-38 instructor
AAF 356th FS commander P-39s and P-51Bs
AAF 354th FG commander P-51Bs
2.33 air kills with AVG + 6 air kills with 354th FG
Brig. General USAFR retired - James Howell Howard (April 8, 1913 – March 18, 1995) was a general in the United States Air Force and the only fighter pilot in the European Theater of Operations in World War II to receive the Medal of Honor — the United States military's highest decoration.[1] Howard was an ace in two operational theaters during World War II, with 6.33 aircraft destroyed with the Flying Tigers of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) in the Pacific and six kills over Europe with the United States Army Air Forces.[2] CBS commentator Andy Rooney, then a wartime reporter for Stars and Stripes, called Howard's exploits "the greatest fighter pilot story of World War II".[3][4] In later life, Howard was a successful businessman, author, and airport director.
Connections
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Units served with

- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
People

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 70th Fighter Wing 354th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-407083
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/Operations Officer/FAC
Aircraft

- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Ding Hao!
- Unit: 354th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Squadron
Missions
- Date: 11 January 1944
Places
Revisions
P-40Bs to P-40C,E change from Stars and Bars table in Wikipedia article (26/9/2023) about Howard.
Changed "6 kills" to "6.33 aircraft destroyed" per Jim Howard's book Roar of the Tiger (1991) as some of his victories were ground targets.
According to "Wikipedia, James H. Howard", per a Stars & Stripes citation in that article, Howard destroyed five Japanese aircraft flying a P-40C and one with a P-40E. I think it is the photo caption of him stepping into FT-x (a 353rd FS P-51B) that says he flew P-40Bs which seems inaccurate.
Also there's an article from Flight Journal https://www.flightjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/JimHoward.pdf that claims the "FT-x" photo is dated 20 January 1944. Here's the rest of what that website says:
FT-x S/N 43-12175
Lt. Col. Jim Howard boards a 353rd Fighter Squadron P-51B prior to the Ninth Air Force Group’s mission from Boxted, England, on January 20, 1944. This Mustang was soon lost to air action over Germany on April 8. (Photo courtesy of Stan Piet)
Wikipedia - James Howard Howell www.clogs.org . - Congressional Medal of Honor Society - Stories Of Sacrifice
Wikipedia - James Howard Howell www.clogs.org . - Congressional Medal of Honor Society - Stories Of Sacrifice
Wikipedia - James Howard Howell www.clogs.org . - Congressional Medal of Honor Society - Stories Of Sacrifice
JCook Photo Collection & Archives
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia