James Wright Russell Jr
Military
Object Number - UPL 14014 - 1st Lt. James W. Russell Jr, of the 335th Fighter Squadron.
On 11-Sep-44, 1st Lt. Russell had just destroyed an Fw190 when another fighter hit him in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang 44-14158 with a 20mm round which exploded in his cockpit and wounded him. Near Fulda, when his aircraft started to burn, 'I crash-landed in a field. I got about 150 ft from my kite and passed out', he said. 'I was picked up by a forest ranger ten minutes later.
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), LOM (OLC), PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medals.
Connections
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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: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
Missions
- Date: 11 September 1944
- Date: 21 June 1944
- Official Description: The Eighth begins shuttle bombing missions (FRANTIC) between UK and bases in USSR. P-47’s (2 groups) escort the Heavy Bombers from just off German coast to Stendal where a P-51 group continues escort to, and suppprt over, the target (synthetic oil...
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Bonham, TX, USA | 30 December 1920 | |
|
Other Assigned |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 4 April 1944 - 11 September 1944 | Assigned to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. 2 x Victories. |
|
Other Promoted |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 22 May 1944 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. |
|
Other Sqn Asst Ops and Gunnery Officer |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 14 July 1944 | Designated Squadron Assistant Operations and Gunnery Officer. |
|
Other Flight Commander B Flight |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 14 August 1944 | Designated Flight Commander B Flight. |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Barth, Germany | 11 September 1944 | Prisoner Of War POW. Stalag Luft I. |
|
Other Shot down |
Fulda, Germany | 11 September 1944 | Took 20mm cannon shell from Fw190 in cockpit, wounded, crash landed and captured. |
|
Other E/A Destroyed |
Germany | 11 September 1944 | Fw190 destroyed. |
|
Died |
San Antonio, TX, USA | 1 May 2005 | |
|
Other Post War |
Served in Korea and Vietnam. 1973 Retired from the USAF as a Lieutenant Colonel. | ||
|
Buried |
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery San Antonio, Bexar County, TX | Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- MACR 8987 ;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholtz.
Personal research & 'The Debden Warbirds' by Frank Speer.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8987, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. IV by Bishop & Hey, p.30 / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
