James Joseph Costigan
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Via 'USAAF Class Book Project ABMC American Cemeteries' FB page
Object Number - UPL 54218 - 1st Lt James J Costigan, 355FG.
Assigned to 354FS, 355FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) escort to Nurenburg in P-51 44-11359 'Idl Lila Lee'. Released to strafe ground targets, hit ground whilst strafing train damaging radiator/coolant system, made ready to bale out, then crashed into ground near Ansbach, 21-Feb-45 Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 12597
Awards: PH.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 355th Fighter Group 354th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Lorraine American Cemetery, St Avold, France
![P-51 Mustangs of the 355th Fighter Group break formation, ready for landing, over the ground support vehicles and control tower of Steeple Morden Airfield. Image signed on reverse with the approval of station censor. Handwritten caption on reverse: '355 FG Steeple Morden, Control Tower, read crew + P41 [sic] group peeling off for landing.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-377141.jpg.webp?itok=zxxvSLfB)
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Enlisted Killed in Action (KIA) |
24 June 1941 | Cleveland, Ohio | |
|
Based |
30 January 1945 - 21 February 1945 | Assigned to 354FS, 355FG, 8AF USAAF. | |
|
Died |
21 February 1945 | Failed to Return (FTR) escort to Nurenburg in P-51 44-11359 'Idl Lila Lee'. Hit ground strafing train damaged coolant system, made ready to bale out, then crashed into ground near Ansbach, 21-Feb-45 Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 12597 | |
|
Born |
Son of James Vincent and Gertrude J Costigan. | ||
|
Buried Killed in Action (KIA) |
Re-Interred Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial St Avold, France Plot A Row 19 Grave 58 | ||
|
Born |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/record/529887589-james-j-costigan
https://www.fold3.com/image/310763071?terms=James%20J%20Costigan
https://www.fold3.com/record/88571299-james-j-costigan
https://www.fold3.com/image/28828612?terms=James%20J%20Costigan
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/search/
http://aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbmsn.asp?SN=44-11359&Submit6=Go
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56654001/james-j-costigan
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12597 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
