James Liburn King

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-57708.jpeg UPL 57708 2nd Lt James L. King, 44BG

USAAF Photo

Object Number - UPL 57708 - 2nd Lt James L. King, 44BG

Joined squad 31 January 1944. Shot down by fighters after falling out of formation and crashed near Eisenbach, GR on a mission to an a/c factory at Gotha, GR on 24-Feb-44 in B-24 41-24225 'Flak Alley'. Killed in Action (KIA).



King was a two sport star at the University of Kentucky. He was a 2x 2nd Team All-SEC performer in basketball and a 2x All-SEC tournament team selection also in basketball.



Awards: AM, PH.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group line up for takeoff at Shipdham in 1943. The 'Flying Eight-Ball' emblem of the 68th Bomb Squadron is visible on the nose of the leading aircraft. Image stamped with field press censor, 1943. Press Agency photograph- original printed caption has been removed.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Flak Alley
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Sharpe, Kentucky 42025, USA 30 September 1919 Son of Sol H and Alzada [Massey] King.

Enlisted

Lexington, KY, USA 17 April 1942

Died

Eisenbach, Germany 24 February 1944 Shot down by fighters after falling out of formation and crashed near Eisenbach, GR on a mission to an a/c factory at Gotha, GR on 24-Feb-44 in B-24 41-24225 'Flak Alley'. Killed in Action (KIA). King successfully bailed out of the doomed ship, but he had been wounded by 20mm gunfire and died shortly after reaching the ground.

Buried

Pferdsdorf, 99819 Krauthausen, Germany 25 February 1944 Pferdsdorf/Rhon Cemetery Grave 202

Buried

Fooks Cemetery Sharpe Marshall County KY Memorialised Fooks Cemetery Sharpe Marshall County Kentucky, USA

Killed in Action (KIA)

Parksville, KY 40440, USA Parksville, Kentucky, USA.

Other

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY, USA Two sport star, particularly in basketball where he was an All-SEC performer for Coach Adolph Rupp

Buried

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2922 / MACR 2922, Webb Todd, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

James Liburn King: Gallery (3 items)