Military
Lieutenant James "Wilkie" Wilkinson, from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, in cockpit. Wilkinson flew with the 335th Fighter Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group from Debden in 1943. He was transferred to the 78th Fighter Group later that year and was killed in a flying accident on 4 June 1944. Usual mount was one of several P-47 Thunderbolts, here he is seen seated in a Spitfire.
Lieutenant James "Wilkie" Wilkinson, from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, in cockpit. Wilkinson flew with the 335th Fighter Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group from Debden in 1943. He was transferred to the 78th Fighter Group later that year and was killed in a flying accident on 4 June 1944.
A pilot of the 78th Fighter Group inspects the damaged cockpit of a P-47 Thunderbolt. Pilot is Captain James W Wilkinson, 82nd Fighter Squadron
Ist Lt James W Wilkinson inspecting a hole in his P-47, at the back of the cockpit, caused by a 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon shell. Wilkinson was Killed in Flying Accident (KIFA) 4th June 1944, when his P-47 #4226256 crashed into a mountain in Wales on a practice strafing flight.
Capt. James W Wilkinson. Swarthmore, PA. 82nd Fighter Squadron. P-47D 42-7954 MX-L "Pin up Girl". Wilkinson was Killed in Flying Accident (KIFA) 4th June 1944, when his P-47 #4226256 crashed into a mountain in Wales on a practice strafing flight.
Lt. Ralph K "Kidd" Hofer, Salem, MO. 334th Fighter Squadron. The Kidd poses by Capt. Archie W Chatterley’s P-47C 41-6358 QP-G “California or Bust”. Hofer was flying this P-47 on his first combat mission on 8 October 43 when he shot down an Me109 over Zwolle, Holland.
Page 85 of the Duxford Diary. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (‘European Theater of Operations’). The Duxford Diary was the book created by and for the service personnel who were based at Duxford at the end of the war in Europe, as a memento of their time at the airfield. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries.
Page 93 of the Duxford Diary. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (‘European Theater of Operations’). The Duxford Diary was the book created by and for the service personnel who were based at Duxford at the end of the war in Europe, as a memento of their time at the airfield. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries.
Page 105 of the Duxford Diary. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (‘European Theater of Operations’). The Duxford Diary was the book created by and for the service personnel who were based at Duxford at the end of the war in Europe, as a memento of their time at the airfield. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries.
Obituary for James W. Wilkinson. Appeared in Delaware County Daily Times on June 14, 1944.
James Wilkinson served with the 4th Fighter Group and then the 78th Fighter Group, flying missions from England.
On April 27, 1943 while with the 4th Fighter Group, the tail of Lieutenant Wilkinson's P47 41-6416 was sliced off in a midair collision with Archie Chatterly, also of the 4th FG/ 334th FS. Both returned to service, but Wilkinson fractured his spine in the bale out which kept him in the hospital for months.
According to the 82nd Fighter Squadron History reports, he transferred to the 78th FG on 11 Sep 1943 and was appointed acting commanding officer of the 82nd FS on 18 May, 1944 under squadron order number 7 in the absence of Majors J.J. Oberhansly and Norman D. Munson, both of whom were taking a well deserved 30 day leave in the United States. This lasted until his death on 4 June 1944.
Around this time, he met and married Frieda Sutton. She was involved in the nursing services and the Air Raid Precaution.
Wilkinson was Killed in a Flying Accident (KIFA) on 4th June 1944. His P-47 42-26256 crashed into a mountain in Wales on a practice strafing flight. He failed to clear a ridge, perhaps due to low cloud ceiling. Wreckage from the doomed flight has recently been recovered and is part of the AAM collection.
Wilkinson was interred at Cambridge American Cemetery. Wife Frieda received his DSC and Silver Star posthumously.
DSC Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Captain (Air Corps) James W. Wilkinson (ASN: 0-885574), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-47 Fighter Airplane in the 82d Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 19 May 1944, during an air mission in the European Theater of Operations. On this date Captain Wilkinson, without regard to the almost insuperable odds against him, led a flight of three fighters in an attack against thirty or more enemy fighters forming to attack a friendly bomber formation. Disregarding the danger of attack by even larger numbers of enemy fighters approaching behind the first enemy formation, Captain Wilkinson and his wingmen completely dispersed the enemy flight. During this engagement, one of his wingmen was forced out of action, and Captain Wilkinson's plane was damaged by enemy fire. Nevertheless he unhesitatingly flew into the second flight of enemy fighters and broke up its attack against the bombers. He and his remaining wingman then flew ahead of the bombers and attacked a third enemy group of more than thirty fighters forming for attack against the bombers. Although in this action his other wingman was lost, Captain Wilkinson continued to press straight through the enemy flight, shot down one plane, and once more broke up a threat against the bombers. By his extraordinary heroism and his determination to protect the bombers at all costs, Captain Wilkinson rendered outstanding and valorous service to our nation.
Tragically, Wilkinson's widow, Frieda, committed suicide at the age of 34 on January 12, 1945 in Marylebone. She died clutching a photograph of her husband.
Awards: DSC, SS, DFC (4OLC), AM (3OLC), ACM, EAME w/service star, WW II Victory Medal
Military | Staff Sergeant | Crew chief | 78th Fighter Group
Assigned to 82FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Sergeant Boase served as Crew Chief to Captain James Wilkinson, alongside Sergeant Eugene Carter.
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Asst Crew Chief
Eugene Carter served with the 78th Fighter Group, and was Assistant Crew Chief to Captain James Wilkinson, alongside Ismal W Boase as Crew Chief.
Awards: Bronze Star (5OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Fighter pilot | 4th Fighter Group
Archie Chatterley, born in 1920 in San Francisco, was living in San Diego, California when he joined the Royal Air Force before the entry of the USA in the conflict. He flew in the RAF and was later assigned to the 4th Fighter Group, 334th Squadron on...
Squadron
The 334th Fighter Squadron was the successor to No. 71 Eagle squadron of the Royal Air Force when the 4th Fighter Group was activated on 12 September 1942. They were based at Debden Field, Essex. The "Fighting Eagles" as they were called, flew...
Squadron
P-47 Thunderbolt
Mid air collision with 41-6416 5 miles North of Castle Camps, pilot Archie W. Chatterley managed to land the damaged A/C. 27th April 43. 41-6146 was abandoned as tail was sliced off, pilot James W. Wilkinson injured when he bailed out but survived.
...
P-47 Thunderbolt
Mid air collision with #416358 5 miles Nth of Castle Camps, pilot 1st Lt James W Wilkinson injured his spine bailing out. A/C destroyed. 27th April 43.
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Crashed in fog into a mountain Llandovery, Wales on a practice strafing flight. 4th June 1944. Pilot James W Wilkinson KIFA
Military site : airfield
RAF Duxford, now a museum and still a working airfield, was operated by the USAAF from 1943 to 1945. The base was briefly the home of the 350th Fighter Group in late 1942, but it was not until April 1943 that it became a fully American station when the...
Military site : airfield
Originally used from 1940 as a small, grass airfield, satellite for nearby RAF Bassingbourn, Steeple Morden was allocated to the Eighth Air Force in August 1942 as a potential bomber base. It was used briefly by the 3rd Photographic Group during the...
Cemetery
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Newark, OH | 9 November 1916 |
| Entered service from | Pennsylvania, USA | 25 November 1942 |
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According to a FOIA request, but another source states on January 20, 1943 he transferred from the RAF to the 4th Fighter Group, USAAF, and was assigned to the 334th Fighter Squadron. |
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| Mid Air Collision | Castle Camps, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB21, UK | 27 April 1943 |
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April 27, 1943 while with the 4th FG, the tail of Lt Wilkinson's P47 #416416 was sliced off in a midair collision with Archie Chatterley #416358, also of the 4th FG/ 334th FS. 5 miles Nth Castle Camps, Camb, Eng. Both returned to service, but Wilkinson fractured his spine in the bale out which kept him in the hospital for months. |
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| Transferred | 11 September 1943 | |
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Transferred to 82nd FS, 78th FG. |
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| Appointment | 18 April 1944 | |
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Appointed acting C/O 82nd FS, May 18, 1944 until June 4, 1944. |
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| Died | Llandovery, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire SA20, UK | 4 June 1944 |
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4th June 44, KIFA P-47 #4226256 crashed into a mountain in Wales on a practice strafing |
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| Buried | 5 June 1944 | |
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Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England, Plot F Row 2 Grave 113. |
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| Posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross & Silver Star | Duxford | 17 July 1944 |
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Wilkinson's wife Frieda (Sutton) received the awards on his behalf |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 08 February 2022 02:18:14 | decwriter | Changes to biography, awards and events |
| Sources | ||
NARA FOIA request shows dates of service as November 25, 1942 to June 4 , 1944, yet other sources state on January 20, 1943 he transferred from the RAF to the 4th Fighter Group, USAAF, and was assigned to the 334th Fighter Squadron. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 December 2020 19:48:26 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, awards, events and place associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56295572/james-willard-wilkinson |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 February 2018 12:20:55 | decwriter | Changes to awards |
| Sources | ||
Air Medals confirmed via 82nd FS history reports. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 September 2017 12:03:35 | Lucy May | Changes to biography, events and media associations |
| Sources | ||
Removed biographical details at the request of James W Wilkinson's son, James W Wilkinson Jr. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 March 2017 11:52:05 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from: |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2016 11:33:42 | Carl | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Connection between Eugene Carter and James Wilkinson established by James Wilkinson's son, via correspondence with Carter. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2016 11:31:43 | Carl | Changes to nickname |
| Sources | ||
Information from contact with James Wilkinson's son, following his correspondence with Eugene Carter, Captain Wilkinson's former Crew Chief. He explained that, though Wilkinson also had the nicknames 'Wilkie' (mainly used by his colleagues in the 4th Fighter Group); and 'Jim' (mainly used by his fellow 82nd Fighter Squadron pilots), he was affectionately known by the enlisted men of the 82nd Fighter Squadron as 'Big Wilkie'. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 October 2015 00:16:04 | AReid | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
Delaware County Daily Times |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 October 2015 23:52:44 | AReid | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Delaware County Daily Times |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 October 2015 23:47:39 | AReid | Changes to events and media associations |
| Sources | ||
Delaware County Daily Times |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 October 2015 23:44:44 | AReid | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Delaware County Daily Times |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 October 2015 23:35:35 | AReid | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Delaware County Daily Times |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 October 2015 23:32:56 | AReid | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Delaware County Times |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 October 2015 16:45:30 | Emily | Changes to events and media associations |
| Sources | ||
Duxford Diary, p 24 (see associated media) |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 March 2015 11:19:11 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 March 2015 11:11:17 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
AAM Database. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 March 2015 10:44:31 | Al_Skiff | Changes to nickname, highest rank, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
AAM Database / http://www.aviationarchaeology.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 March 2015 21:32:48 | apollo11 | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Personal research & 'Eighy-One Aces of the 4th fighter group' by Frank Speer. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:15:02 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
ABMC, Roll of Honor , Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey p. 108 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list |
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