Jim Wright joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1916 and trained as a pilot, after the First World War he became a flight instructor. In 1928 Jim left the RAF to pursue a career in film making, initially joining the Fox Film Corporation, and becoming a production manager at Movietone. In July 1930 Jim joined British Paramount News as an assistant to Tommy Cummins.



Following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 Jim trained as a war cameraman for Paramount. In 1942 he appealed to re-join the RAF to film their operations but was rejected for being too old. Jim instead made the same appeal to the US Army Air Forces after meeting John McRary, who accepted his offer. After completing five days of combat crew training alongside members of the Wrighting 69th, Jim joined the 91st Bomb Group at Bassingbourn.



Jim was assigned to William Clancy's crew, and undertook his first mission over Hamm in February 1943. Jim's film footage of the mission prevented Clancy from being court martialled, after his flight refused to abort. Jim completed 31 missions with the 91st Bomb Group.



In late 1943 Jim transferred to the 323rd Bomb Group at Earls Colne to film tactical missions from B-26 Marauders flown over Northern France against rail and communication targets. He completed 13 tactical bombing missions before transferring to the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations



Jim joined the 12th Air Force to capture bombing raids over Italy, flying missions over Palermo, Sicily and Naples. He attempted to film US troops landing at Anzio in early 1944, but found weather prevented filming.



Jim's son, Jimmy (James Ernest Frederick Wright), who was also serving as a cameraman in Italy, with the RAF's No 2 Film Production Unit, was seriously injured when his B-26 Marauder crashed on 23 February 1944. Upon learning of the incident Ira Eaker made his personal aircraft available to Jim to ensure Jimmy had safe transport to the UK.



After Jimmy was admitted to East Grinstead hospital under the care of Archibald McIndoe, Jim returned to Italy where he joined the US 5th Army. He became the first journalist to enter Monte Cassino, after filming the battle from the ground and from the air in May 1944, and subsequently recorded the 5th Army's operations around Rome.



Jim claimed to have flown 48 missions with the USAAF, though the true number is likely higher, as he chose to only count those in which he successfully captured footage. He was interviewed by IWM in 1981.