James Madison Bechtel
Military ROLL OF HONOURUSAAF Photo
Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Ditched into North Sea on 4-Mar-43 in B-17 41-24464 'Excalibur' after repeated fighter attacks. Losses reports Bechtel survived the ditching after floating in a life raft for 7 hours before a British minesweeper picked them up. RTD
He was killed in B-17 42-29537 which went down in the channel near France on mission to Rouen marshalling yards. 28-Mar-43. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 16086
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: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17019995 / O-442336
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-662748
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Ardennes American Cemetery, Liege, Belgium
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Perkins County, Nebraska | 23 December 1921 | Son of Howard E. and Zata L. Smith Bechtel. |
Died Killed in action |
English Channel | 28 March 1943 | |
Buried |
Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial | Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial Plot D Row 12 Grave 54 | |
Based |
28 March 1943 | Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / History of the 91st BG, Combat Chronology Supplement p. 204, National WWII monument web site, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop and Hey p. 87