James Maitland Stewart
Military
Wording. - Kickapoo
Object Number - UPL 21238 - Captain James Stewart
Hollywood screen actor James Stewart interrupted his successful film career to join the Air Corps in 1941. Aware of publicity value for the war effort, the US authorities tried to stifle Stewart's desire to fly combat missions and assigned him to a series of quiet postings. Stewart, however, persisted and by late 1943 he was commander of the 703rd Bomb Squadron, 445th Bomb Group, at Tibenham, Norfolk, flying B-24 Liberators.
Stewart flew 20 combat missions over Germany, gaining the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal before being transferred as Group Operations Officer to the 453rd Bomb Group in early 1944.
Returning to the USA after the war with the rank of Colonel, Stewart resumed his acting career but retained his links with the USAF by joining the Reserve. In this capacity he later took part in combat missions over North Vietnam before retiring in 1968 as a Brigadier General.
He was the winner of an Oscar in 1941 for The Philadelphia Story
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Combat Bomb Wing 2nd Combat Bomb Wing 453rd Bomb Group 93rd Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: O-18619
- Highest Rank: Brigadier General
- Role/Job: Commanding General
Missions
Places
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Indiana, Pennsylvania | 20 May 1908 | The son of Elizabeth Ruth (née Jackson; March 16, 1875 – August 2, 1953) and Alexander Maitland Stewart (May 19, 1871 – December 28, 1961). |
|
Died |
Beverley Hills, California | 2 July 1997 | Died of a pulmonary embolism. |
|
Enlisted |
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|
Buried |
Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, USA | Forest Lawn Memorial Park |
Revisions
Added an association to the 8th AF Bomber Command Mission #226 for 20 Feb 1944 per pg. 5 in the book “Blood and Fears” by Kevin Wilson.
Added a connection to 8th AF mission #235 for 25 Feb 1944 per info in the book "Big Week" by James Holland.
Added Enlistment per data on Wikipedia & burial events per data at Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 1816 .
Philip Ardery, Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky: 1978) 221.
Starr Smith, Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot (St. Paul: Voyageur Press, 2006).
Philip Ardery, Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky: 1978) 199-200.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Who's Who in the Eighth Air Force and/or Biographical Directory Command & Staff Officers Eighth Air Force 1942-45; In Search of Peace, pg 107 (photo)
