James W Braa
Military
Object Number - UPL 26189 - Dad and Katie ll
James Braa served as a ball turret gunner with the 566th Bomb Squadron of the 389th Bomb Group, flying bombing missions out of Hethel, England. He completed his tour of 30 missions between March and June 1944, flying his final two missions on D-Day.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Armorer; Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator B-24
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 6 June 1944
- Official Description: The Eighth Air Force reaches its top strength as 493d Bomb Group (Heavy) becomes operational, making a total of 40 Heavy Bomb Groups now operational. Heavy Bombers fly 4 missions in support of the invasion of Normandy. 1,361 Heavy Bombers are...
- Date: 6 June 1944
- Official Description: Eighth reaches its top strength as 493d Bomb Group (H) becomes operational, making a total of 40 Heavy Bomber Groups now operational. Heavy Bombers fly 4 missions in spite of the invasion of Normandy. The third mission is dispatched against the...
- Date: 4 June 1944
- Official Description: Third mission of the day consists of attacks by 400 Heavy Bombers on 10 targets including Airfields, railway junctions and bridges. No Bombers are lost.
- Date: 3 June 1944
- Official Description: In Operation COVER, 338 Heavy Bombers attack coastal defenses in the Pas de Calais area, bombing a total of 22 assigned targets. In second mission of the day 215 Heavy Bombers attack 16 of the targets bombed during the first mission. No Bombers are...
- Date: 31 May 1944
Places
- Site type: USAAF heritage site
- Known as: 389th Bomb Group Museum
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Enlisted |
Tacoma, WA, USA | 10 December 1942 | |
|
Born |
Idaho, USA | ||
| Snohomish County, WA, USA |
Revisions
Connected up to records of Braa's crew members - names from Braa's Lucky Bastard certificate, in possession of his son Jim Braa.
NARA enlistment record: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf…
Entered by his son from data on his "Lucky Bastard Club" certificate.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit History, 389th BG Roster
